Queensland, Australia Government Will Not Legalize Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide

International   |   Alex Schadenberg   |   Sep 23, 2013   |   8:45PM   |   Brisbane, Australia

The Brisebane Times is reporting that Jarrod Bleijie, the Queensland Australia Attorney-General stated:

“The Queensland Government has no plans to make changes to the laws in this regard”

The Brisebane Times article stated:

“Successive petitions asking for assisted suicide or euthanasia have been rejected by the Attorney-General, who acknowledges it as an issue which “polarises” the community.

“At the essence of this debate, is how best to balance the competing values of the desire of individuals to choose to die with dignity when suffering and the need to uphold the inherent right to life of every person,” Mr Bleijie responded.

Under current state law, euthanasia is a criminal offence.”

Bleijie explained that palliative care is available and when pain is difficult to control, aggressive palliative care measures can be used. He explained that aggressive pain control does not provide any justification for euthanasia.

The euthanasia debate was last seriously discussed in Queensland in 2010.

Paul Russell and HOPE Australia have been instrumental in defeating attempts to legalize euthanasia or assisted suicide throughout Australia.

LifeNews.com Note: Alex Schadenberg is the executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition and you can read his blog here.