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17th March 2008
In repeated professional polls — the most recent national survey conducted just last year by Newspoll1 — the public's support for Physician Assisted Dying (PAD—see Bulletin 2) is clear and compelling. Currently:
- The overwhelming majority — 80% — of Australians support PAD (82% of Victorians).
- Only a small minority 14% of Australians (13% of Victorians) oppose PAD. We should respect opposers' right to reject the PAD option for themselves, but not to demand that the overwhelming majority suffer according to the opposer's beliefs.
- Four out of five Anglicans (82%) support PAD.
- Three out of four Catholics (74%) support PAD.
- More than two out of three of non-Christian faith (71%) support PAD.
- Nine out of ten of those with no religion (comprising nearly a fifth of Australians at the 2006 census) (91%) support PAD.
- Support for PAD has been consistently in the majority for 40 years.
Figure 1: Overwhelming Public Support for PAD
Clearly, legislative reform lags significantly behind the will of the people. So, let's get on with it.
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1National survey conducted by Newspoll, February 2007. Sample size 2,423, aged 18 or over.
Next bulletin: Has such a law already been passed in the Victorian Parliament? (The answer may surprise you.)
PAD Support by Religion, Voting and Experience
PAD Support By Religion |
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PAD Support By Voting |
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PAD Support By Experience |
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Note: Sample size does not permit precise statistics for other faiths, however:
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Majority support is shown amongst Uniting, Presbyterian/ Reformed, Baptist, Lutheran, Orthodox, Jewish and Buddhist faiths. |
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Majority opposition is shown amongst Jehova's Witnesses, with opinion divided amongst Pentecostals, Muslims and Hindus. |
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Note: Sample size does not permit precise statistics for other parties, however:
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Majority support is indicated for all parties, including Family First and One Nation. |
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Support is especially high amongst Greens voters. |
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Note: Experience of a close friend or relative wanting PAD appears to help "Don't Knows" reach a position, mostly in support.
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See support by religion, voting and experience here...
More survey information and analysis is available here...
Did You Know?
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Support for PAD is not significantly different between blue collar and white collar workers. |
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Those in households with 5 or more children are less likely to support PAD, though it is still a majority. |
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People who have never married or are in a defacto relationship are far more likely to support PAD (81% and 91%) than those currently married (78%). |
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While those over 65 support PAD, the minority of them opposing it is larger (19%) than of people under 65 (13%). This correlates with increased religion and decreased experience of a close friend or relative wanting PAD, in the 65+ age group. |
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Regional Australians (82%) are more likely to support PAD than metropolitan residents (78%). |
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Those who support PAD are no more or less likely to have a living will (Advance Directive), than those who oppose. |
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Those who have personal experience of a sick close friend or relative wanting PAD are nearly three times more likely (14%) to have a living will than those who haven't had such an experience (5%)
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bulletins > 3 public opinion