VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 22 November 2007. Page 1837.)

Mr VENNING (Schubert) (11:22): I wish to finish my remarks from a previous occasion. This is an emotive issue, particularly in electorates such as mine, with a strong Lutheran influence. Of course, all of us in this house have personal recollections about why we have some sympathy towards supporting a bill such as this. I am still opposed to it, purely because I believe in the philosophy that, as a member of parliament, you can lobby your people all you like and you can push your personal point of view, but when you stand in this place you have to represent them. That is the bottom line for me: I do represent them, and I will be opposing this motion, even though I have much sympathy for this.

As members know, my father, and my mother a few months ago, have passed on. All I can say is that I am very thankful for what we today call palliative care in relation to these people, which is a grey area as far as I am concerned, because we know that good palliative care puts our loved ones at ease, but we also know that it probably expedites the end. It is a very emotive issue, and it will always be a live issue. I think that, in the end, we will probably accept things such as this, but until I can convince my constituents, who have a very strong Lutheran ethic and background—and I respect them for that—I will not support this measure. However, I will keep the issue alive—certainly, it is very much a live topic in my electorate—but I will be opposing this bill.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mrs Geraghty.