A New Zealand parliamentary committee has issued a report showing that 80 percent of people submitting their views about euthanasia opposed “assisted dying”. However, the committee has not made any recommendations about legislation since a private members bill has been introduced in parliament and is likely to be dealt with by a conscience vote.
Two years ago, following an unsuccessful bid by a dying woman, Lecretia Seales, to establish her right to doctor assisted suicide, then Labour MP Maryan Street presented a petition signed by nearly 9000 people to parliament. The petition asked that “the House of Representatives investigate fully public attitudes towards the introduction of legislation which would permit medically-assisted dying in the event of a terminal illness or an irreversible condition which makes life unbearable.”
The Health Committee of the House was given the job of seeking submissions and reporting on the views of New Zealanders. More than 21,000 unique written submissions were received and the committee heard over 900 oral submissions.