Attorney-General Elise Archer is opposed to voluntary assisted dying legislation fearing it will not protect vulnerable Tasmanians.
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Ms Archer told Parliament she would prefer the debate was not happening and she could not separate her personal views from those as a barrister and solicitor and first law officer of the State.
She told of her mother's death from dementia last year which she said was "still very raw for me" and the deaths of three close friends.
"The legal, medical and ethical arguments are of great importance to me," Ms Archer said.
"I have issues supporting a bill that has not gone through the usual and exhaustive processes of law reform and thereby remain unconvinced that this bill adequately protects the vulnerable in our community or indeed medical procedures.
"The introduction of a voluntary assisted dying provision potentially imposes significant risks to patients in the context of their care and for medical professionals in the context of delivering services."
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Ms Archer said she knew that all members appreciated the VAD bill was "extremely complex" requiring extensive protections.
"I think we can agree to disagree on the extent of the protections," she said.
"I do feel parts of the bill are ambiguous or wanting greater scrutiny.
"For this purpose, I think the process we're embarking on should this pass, despite my position, at least hopefully it will go through a more robust process.
"I don't feel the protections are there to the extent they need to be."
Greens leader Cassy O'Connor, who has supported previous attempts to introduce VAD, talked about being at her mother Colleen's bedside whern she died last year and said the bill was safe and legal and "much needed and long overdue".
She said doctors has asked her mother "if she would like them to make her more comfortable - a euphemism for terminal sedation".
"I support this reform out of compassion and deep and abiding love of humanity," Ms O'Connor said.
"This is strong, compassionate legislation with multiple layers of safeguards to protect the vulnerable while acknowledging extreme, unrelievable suffering also makes the sufferer extremely vulnerable.
"The legislation puts the person at the centre of all decision making about the manner of their passing from this world."
Ms O'Connor paid tribute to Independent Mersey MLC Mike Gaffney and said without his work the house would not be on "the cusp of an historic vote".
"For those of us who support end of life choices and strong protections for the vulnerable, this legislation is our chance to reflect what Tasmanians want - a safe, compassionate legal framework for dying with dgnity," she said.
"This is the Tasmanian Parliament's chance to respect human dignity and autonomy and to bring peace of mind to the suffering."
On the cusp of historic vote.
- Cassy O'Connor Greens leader
Deputy Labor leader Michelle O'Byrne also supported the bill and said it was not a bill for suicide - "in fact it acts to prevent suicide"
"I have been heartbroken to read the letters of families who have had a terminally ill person take their lives alone," Ms O'Byrne said.
"And hear their stories of how much they would have liked to be with them, hold them and envelop them in their love in those final moments."
She said she heard the words of people of faith but she believed faith allowed people to "interpret teachings".
"I do not wish to offend those who have faith but I must put the alternate view," Ms O'Byrne said.
"Reverend Trevor Bensch a former hospital chaplain and a Baptist minister has said that his 'call for voluntary euthanasia is compassionate and thoroughly consistent with the teachings of Jesus'."
Ms O'Byrne implored members to pass the bill because it was good legislation and overwhelmingly supported.
"But mostly pass it because we should not accept that ending life in misery and agony is better than helping people for whom death is inevitable to leave this life in the best possible way," she said.