Australia21 needs your help

Australia 21 is a not-for-profit organisation which brings together diverse thinkers to develop ideas for Australia’s future, on policy areas ranging from climate change to drug law reform to euthanasia. Australia21 only tackles 'wicked problems'. These are complex problems that defy definition, resist all usual attempts to solve them, hardly ever sit conveniently within the responsibility of one organisation, and attempted solutions are thwarted by unforeseen consequences.

We have exciting plans for the future. But these plans are now at risk due to a lack of funding. So we would like to tell you a little bit about us and seek your help.

We believe that Australia 21 is uniquely placed to think about policy issues facing Australia in a way which goes beyond the populist consensus of the major political parties.

* What other organisation could bring together a former federal police commissioner, addiction specialists and former premiers to agree publicly that the war on drugs has failed and get them in the same room to discuss alternatives?

* What other organisation could gather palliative care workers, doctors, lawyers, former politicians and students to develop ideas about how we could regulate euthanasia in Australia, while also including opponents of euthanasia in the discussion?

We want to keep the conversation going – but we need your help. As well as plans for further developing the discussion on these valuable topics, Australia 21 is commencing a project about asylum seekers and a project about inequality in Australia, timely projects which are needed now more than ever.

If you believe in the work we do, if you have ever considered donating money to Australia 21, we would like to stress in the strongest possible terms that now is the time to do it.

Donations will be gratefully received at http://www.givenow.com.au/australia21

 

Discussion paper: Voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide

Media Release 14 November 2012

How should Australia regulate voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide?

Voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal in all Australian states and territories so friends and family members continue to be prosecuted for assisting their loved ones who request their help to die.

Australia21 will release a discussion paper tomorrow as background to a high level roundtable discussion to be held in January on the topic "How should Australia regulate voluntary euthanasia (VE) and assisted suicide (AS)?”

The authors of the paper are Professor Ben White and Professor Lindy Willmott from the Health Law Research Centre in the Faculty of Law at QUT.

The Chair of Australia21, Mr. Paul Barratt AO said today

"Australia 21 is again promoting dialogue on an issue which stirs strong emotions and on which politicians find themselves in a quandary. On the one hand it would seem that many Australians are keen to see a change in the legal framework surrounding euthanasia and assisted suicide, while on the other hand, efforts to have the issue properly considered by parliamentary committee (often introduced by the minor political parties or cross benchers) have been thwarted by intense lobbying by special interest groups.”

The discussion paper presents dispassionately and without taking sides on the issue, the main arguments in favour of and against legalisation of VE and AS. It summarises international experience on this matter as well as previous efforts in Australia to have the issue debated in state and federal parliaments.

The Roundtable planned for January 2013 will bring together people from both sides of the debate about VE and AS to consider the discussion paper and its key question: “How should Australia regulate voluntary euthanasia (VE) and assisted suicide (AS)?"

NB The … report is embargoed until midday Thursday 15^th November when it will be able to be accessed on the Australia21 website www.australia21.org.au

Contacts:

Professor Ben White 07 3138 4066; 0468 682 119

Professor Lindy Willmott 07 3138 5205; 0419 706 214

Professor Bob Douglas AO Roundtable Convenor 0409 233138