Vic Attorney General Hulls Refuses To Meet DWDV Patron

Vic Attorney General Hulls refuses to meet DWDV patron, Nov. 19, 2009.

IT now appears the Victorian Government will abandon any debate on the dying with dignity issue despite the overwhelming number of Victorians 85 per cent who are strongly in favour and who are asking for their right to die with dignity. 

It now appears the Government has neither the courage nor the moral fortitude to re-introduce the appropriate legislation.

A month ago, the Dying With Dignity Victoria Society wrote a letter to the Attorney General Rob Hulls politely asking for a meeting to discuss the Government's intention regarding the future of the Physicians Assisted Dying Legislation.

This week, I received a telephone call from a junior staff member informing me that the Attorney General had no intention of holding any meeting.

I was astounded at the arrogance and discourtesy displayed by Mr Hulls. No written reply, no explanation just a brush-off with a few words on the telephone from an unknown public servant.

Every minister has the right to refuse a deputation  I fully accept that  but it is the arrogance and lack of respect for the electorate that I find hard to come to terms with.

What is so hard to comprehend is that the latest News Poll, held in mid-October, indicates that now

85 per cent of Australians, including three out of four Catholics, support assisted dying for the hopelessly ill, 10 per cent are against it and 5 per cent are undecided.

Despite these findings, Mr Hulls continues to say publicly, and I  quote:  ''The Government believes that current provisions in Victorian law broadly reflect community expectations''.

How can he say that? Clearly the public thinks otherwise.

The government's head-in-the-sand attitude means that thousands of mentally-alert, hopelessly-ill persons with absolutely no quality of life will continue to suffer greatly and be denied their right to a dignified end to their lives.

The least Mr Hulls can do is to refer the Medical Treatments Act 1988 to the Victorian Law Reform Commission for full public consultation and the identification of legislative reform options.

Mr Hulls and his government are not only being derelict in their duties, they are displaying a disdain for those who placed them in their responsible positions.

Rod Mackenzie, Geelong Advertiser