Thursday, 23rd August 2018
Statement from Robin Chapple MLC:
The Greens (WA) have today strongly welcomed the findings and recommendations handed down by the WA Parliament’s End of Life Choices Committee. The Greens (WA) are absolutely committed to allowing people choice at the end of their life, which we believe is the compassionate way forward.
Western Australia is now the closest it has ever been to giving terminally ill people choice as they approach the end of their lives.
The Greens are steadfast in our support for dying with dignity as a choice.
Many years have passed since 2002, when I first introduced a bill to allow dying with dignity in WA. It is incredibly humbling to now reach a point where a WA Parliament could choose to give this choice to people, so I hope that this inquiry is not then end of this discussion.
This report is the culmination of decades of work by The Greens and by the wider Australian community, to provide people who are suffering at the end of their lives with a compassionate and dignified option.
The experience of serving on this committee has been at times harrowing, but also uplifting. The evidence that we have gathered over many months shows the dramatic shortcomings in WA’s health system and the current legislative framework that effectively deny people choice.
Our job is now to do all that we can to make sure that the Parliament passes legislation that provides choice for terminally ill West Australians. The Greens’ role into the future is to work with all parliamentarians, so that we can deliver a compassionate approach for those who desire it.
WA has a unique opportunity to finally allow for compassion, dignity and respect for terminally ill people. I will be working hard to encourage the Parliament to pass legislation to that effect.
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Media contact: Liam Carter – 0449 151 490
