Philip Nitschke Targets Anti-Choice Minister in Federal Election

Oct. 26 2007

World-renowned euthanasia advocate Dr Philip Nitschke is now taking on same-sex marriage equality as an independent candidate in the Victorian seat of Menzies.

His opponent is the federal minister who killed the Northern Territory euthanasia laws, Kevin Andrews.

“He’s tried to ensure gay couples don’t have access to the same rights that heterosexual couples have,” Nitschke said.

“Andrews is quite open about basing his decisions on his Catholic-Christian belief. The problem is it doesn’t reflect what most of the population want.”

Nitschke said he was campaigning against Andrews to give people an alternative on stem-cell research, abortion and same-sex issues.

“I get very worried when people say we don’t mind if the rights are the same, but we can’t call it marriage,” he said.

“We’re talking long-standing commitments, whether they be heterosexual or homosexual. It’s clear to me that there should be no legislative impediment to a relationship between same-sex people.”

Harley Dennet
SSOnet