Updated August 10, 2017 15:41:13 <\/p>\n
WA Parliament has set the stage for a renewed debate on legalising euthanasia, but the push to allow medically-assisted death still faces plenty of hurdles to eventuate. <\/p>\n
Parliament has agreed to set up a committee to look at the matter and a vote on whether to legalise euthanasia could come as soon as next year. <\/p>\n
Here is what you need to know about the euthanasia debate and what happens from here. <\/p>\n
Officially, the Legislative Assembly has voted to establish the 'Joint Select Committee on End of Life Choices'. <\/p>\n
The motion set up by Morley MP Amber-Jade Sanderson will report on the \"need for laws in Western Australia to allow citizens to make informed decisions regarding their own end of life choices\". <\/p>\n
In practice, that means the committee will hold a series of hearings over the coming months to investigate proposed legislative changes and review the laws in other jurisdictions. <\/p>\n
If it were to recommend changes to euthanasia laws, it would also need to suggest a scope for laws - in other words, who would be allowed to end their life and under what circumstances. <\/p>\n
The committee will then be due to report back within a year. <\/p>\n
If Premier Mark McGowan gets his way, that committee's work will lead to a vote on euthanasia legislation as early as next year. <\/p>\n
It is Mr McGowan's hope that a bill comes out of the committee's work, with every MP in Parliament to be given a free vote. <\/p>\n
But even if that progresses as advocates plan, and a bill is voted upon by Parliament in 2018, it could still be some time until euthanasia becomes legal in WA. <\/p>\n
The model currently being considered by Victoria would not allow people to seek a medically assisted death until 2019 and it is possible any WA change would also be somewhat delayed. <\/p>\n
Mr McGowan supports voluntary euthanasia for those with terminal illnesses, but will give Labor MPs a conscience vote on the matter and the party has been split on the matter in the past. <\/p>\n
Both the Liberals and Nationals will give their MPs a conscience vote, while One Nation is also expected to leave the choice up to its three Upper House members. <\/p>\n
Within both of the major parties, there are a mix of people either firmly for or against legalising euthanasia. <\/p>\n
The Greens are firmly supportive of euthanasia though, stating on their website that those with terminal illnesses should have the choice of a \"dignified, pain-free death\". <\/p>\n
Because the vast majority of MPs are not bound to a party position, it is unlikely to become clear for a long time whether any bill would make it through Parliament. <\/p>\n
Yes, in fact the debate has regularly come up in Parliament over the last two decades. <\/p>\n
In 2010, a bill put forward by Greens MP Robin Chapple was defeated 11-24 in the Upper House and never made it to the Legislative Assembly. <\/p>\n
Both the major parties allowed their MPs a conscience vote on the matter for that 2010 debate. <\/p>\n
But not a single Liberal MP supported the measure after then-Premier Colin Barnett labelled it \"sanctioned killing\" while five out of 11 Labor MPs also voted against it. <\/p>\n
Private members bills introduced in 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2002 also made little progress. <\/p>\n
Euthanasia was briefly legal in the Northern Territory but is now illegal in all Australian jurisdictions. <\/p>\n
Recent efforts to legalise it in Tasmania and South Australia were defeated, but Victoria is considering allowing those with advanced and incurable medical conditions to seek a medically assisted death from 2019. <\/p>\n
Some US states have legalised euthanasia, including California - where those with a terminal illness and aged over 18 can request life-ending medication. <\/p>\n
Euthanasia or assisted suicide are also legal in a handful of European countries, Canada and Japan. <\/p>\n
Topics: euthanasia, state-parliament, wa <\/p>\n
First posted August 10, 2017 13:17:10 <\/p>\n
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Legalising euthanasia: What you need to know after parliamentary inquiry announced - ABC Online<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Updated August 10, 2017 15:41:13 WA Parliament has set the stage for a renewed debate on legalising euthanasia, but the push to allow medically-assisted death still faces plenty of hurdles to eventuate. Continue reading