| Use the following points as you see fit to write your own personalised letter. Keep your letter brief and to the point. |
Introductory Phrases • Continuing Phrases • Closing Phrases
I write to let you know that I support legislative change to allow terminally and incurably ill Victorians with profound suffering to choose to die with dignity.
Please accept this submission in support of legalising physician assisted dying.
I am unhappy with the current state of law in Victoria which prevents terminally and incurably ill Victorians with profound suffering from choosing to die with dignity.
Current Victorian law compels terminally and incurably ill Victorians with profound suffering to endure agony, distress and misery beyond their wishes.
As Dr Ronald Dworkin, Professor of Jurisprudence at Oxford University said, "Making someone die in a way that others approve, but the dying person believes a horrifying contradiction of his life, is a devastating, odious form of tyranny." We need law reform to give Victorians the right to choose.
There has been a dramatic rise in suicide rates by hanging in Australia, and suicide by train is a growing concern. While some of these are undoubtedly of people suffering "only" a depressive illness (and we should continue to encourage them to seek professional help), a significant proportion are those with a terminal or incurable illness and who are suffering profoundly against their wishes.
I object to the law currently prohibiting physician assisted dying because it imposes the belief systems of others on me when I don't agree.
Independent survey research shows that the vast majority of Victorians (82%) support the right of terminally ill people to choose to die with dignity - and I am one of them.
Current Victorian law lags significantly behind the will of the people.
I respect the right of 13% of Victorians to oppose physician assisted dying -- for themselves -- but not to impose their views on the overwhelming majority who find it congruent with their values and beliefs.
Independent surveys show that a great majority of Victorians support the right of terminally ill people to choose to die with dignity. I am one of those supporters. However, current Victorian law makes it illegal for sufferers to choose. Current Victorian law therefore lags significantly behind the will of the people.
Any new legislation would need to provide adequate safeguards to prevent abuse of the process.
I agree with and wholeheartedly support the principles contained in the Legislative Charter of the Dying With Dignity Victoria (DWDV). You can find their Charter at http://www.dwdv.org.au/LegislativeCharter.html.
DWDV's Legislative Charter lays out a framework of guidelines that provide choice for terminally and incurably ill Victorians, including safeguards that prevent abuse of the process.
While some sections of Victorian society are vocally opposed to dying with dignity legislation, they are a minority. Survey research shows that a majority of members of all the major religions of Victoria support the right of terminally ill people to choose to die.
I believe that any vocal opposition to new legislation will have little impact and work against those who protest, because the majority of members of all major religions in Victoria support the right of terminally ill people to choose to die.
Law reform in Oregon, USA, has failed to produce the "avalanche" of willing deaths that opponents predicted. Statistics show a slight decline in assisted death numbers since the new law came into effect, but that the experience for sufferers, relatives and carers was greatly improved.
Legalising physician assisted dying, as an option of last resort in medical practice, will encourage greater research into cures.
I am now ___ years old. I want the peace of mind that legislation would provide to allow physician assisted dying should I suffer a terminal or advanced incurable illnes and my suffering became intolerable, and that all quality of life has gone.
It is my life and I should have the right to say when I have had enough of the intolerable suffering of my disease.
It would give me confidence in my doctor to know that he/she would be willing, as a last resort, to help me to die at my request.
I do not believe that a loving God would want us to endure unnecessary suffering at the end of life.
When we are suffering with no reasonable prospect of a cure, we should be able to say we have ad enough.
A sympathetic doctor should be allowed to help me without fear of breaking the law.
It is possible to enact legislation with stringent safeguards against abuse and I ask you to support such a bill in Parliament.
Doctors are in an awful position. They dare not discuss the subject of physician assisted dying because it is currently illegal. Patients are in a worse situation because of this.
I am very concerned about palliative care's inability to adequatly relieve suffering in about 5% of terminal illnesses -- suffering such as pain, profound weakness, nausea and gasping for breath. Palliative care isn't and never can be perfect.
| Suggestion: If you have a story about a personal experience of dying without dignity, consider adding a brief description of it to your e-mail. Examples that illustrate the terrible consequences of the current law will add a high degree of impact to your correspondence. |
| Suggestion: If you do not know your members' actual position on physician assisted dying, ask for a response that identifies their position. |
I ask you to take timely action to enact suitable legislation to address this situation.
I request that you work with your colleagues and affected constituencies to enact new legislation to give Victorians the right to choose to die with dignity - in a timely manner.
I request that a legislative plan and timetable for this new law is created and communicated with Victorians well prior to the next State election in late 2006.
Please call me to discuss this. My telephone number is .
Please let me know whether you support or oppose this legislative initiative.
Would you please advise me of your position regarding this proposed legislation?
I would like to meet with you to discuss this further.