Voluntary assisted dying is an emotive topic for all involved which is why legislation to support it requires rigorous, yet considered debate.
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Tasmanian Parliament has debated euthanasia three times but a fourth draft bill has been released for public comment by Mersey MLC Mike Gaffney.
The bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council and debated in August.
According to the draft bill, a terminally ill person seeking to medically end their life must first request a medical practitioner with specific training in the field to first determine their eligibility.
The person must be deemed to be suffering intolerably due to their medical condition or through complications that have arisen due to treatment and where there is no medical solution available to improve their condition.
There is no doubt that any euthanasia legislation needs to have a wide net that closes any loopholes for people who have not made an informed choice to end their life. However, social policies such as these need to be debated with the people who will use them in mind and not be driven by ideology, fear or religion.
This bill, and others of its ilk, such as access to medicinal cannabis, allows people to exercise their most vital basic right - the freedom to choose.
If a person who is terminally ill, but is sound of mind, can choose to end their life, it means that at least in the maelstrom of the unknown, they can take some measure of control.
While our community leaders must be the ones who pass this into law, it is disappointing this is the fourth time this legislation has come before the Upper House.
Other states have already provided a legislative road map to allow Tasmania to follow suit with something likely to be beneficial for people who have lost a lot of hope.
However, it deserves to be debated to allow for informed decisions on behalf of those who are voting on it.
Playing with someone's life should not be taken lightly and politicians voting on this bill need to be certain that it is water tight.