Northern Territory Euthanasia Collection - Address to Victorian MPs by Marshall Perron, 16 April 2008

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CreatorPerron, MarshallScope and ContentsMarshall Perron addresses Victorian MPs at a dinner organised by Dying With Dignity Victoria and prefaces the speech by reflecting on the "heartening display of genuine democracy" that was the passage of the NT Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill in 1995 and 1996. Perron states that the push to legalise euthanasia is ongoing as death is increasingly the outcome of a deliberate human decision, with increased lifespans leading to a heightened prevalence of degenerative diseases. Further impetus comes from articulate baby boomers demanding individual autonomy. Perron presciently argues that it is only a matter of time before a state passes legislation, as the volume of Bills being put before them increases, including the Bill to be introduced shortly by Ken Smith and Colleen Hartland in Victoria. Perron discusses the merits of this Bill including its safeguards and then addresses safeguards in general and refutes the argument that they can never be adequate. BackgroundThe Northern Territory was the first jurisdiction in the world to explicitly legalise euthanasia. The Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995 (NT) entered into law on 1 July 1996. The following year the Commonwealth Parliament intervened to overturn the Act. Section 50A was added to the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act 1978 to prohibit the Northern Territory from making laws in respect of euthanasia. The Rights of the Terminally Act was in force for 9 months, during which time four people died by medically assisted suicide through its provisions.Date16/04/2008;16/04/2008;16/04/2008;KeywordVoluntary EuthanasiaThe ElderlyIndividual AutonomySafeguardsMedical TechnologyCollectionNorthern Territory Euthanasia CollectionCollection Number14-024Alternative CollectionPage 1105-1112LanguageEnglishProvenanceThe NT Euthanasia Collection contains donations from a number of contributors. This item was donated by Mr Marshall Perron.Related MaterialPlease see folder list for the NT Euthanasia CollectionCultural AdviceAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers should be aware that this collection may contain images or names of people who have since passed away.LocationArafura Research ArchivePhysical DescriptionElectronic Document - 8 Pages

PersonMarshall PerronKen SmithColleen HartlandHelen ClarkPlaceNorthern Territory

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TopicEuthanasia

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