A cross-party attempt to legalise voluntary euthanasia in NSW won’t get any support from Central West MPs, including Phil Donato.
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Several MPs are working on a new bill to legalise the practise and are expected to present the bill into the state’s upper house in February.
The working party, which includes members of all major parties, want all MPs to have a conscience vote to decide if terminally-ill patients are allowed to end their lives.
The bill is unlikely to get support from the Member for Orange.
“I have trouble supporting it at the moment,” Mr Donato said.
“I’ve had relatives who have been terminally ill and have later died. It is hard (to watch), I don’t know if euthanasia is the answer,” he said.
“I don’t know enough about it, but my feeling is that I don’t support it.”
Neighbouring’s MP, Member for Bathurst Paul Toole has said he would not support the bill.
Mr Toole said while he had great sympathy for the plight of people suffering near the end of their life, he was still worried that legalising euthanasia might bring unnecessary pressure on vulnerable and frail members of the community.
“I certainly welcome the fact it will be put to a conscience vote,” Mr Toole said.
“While there has been some talk so far there has been no legislation presented to parliament but that will happen in time.
“While I am sympathetic to people who are sick and dying and people wanting to make end of life decisions, I have still got reservations around it.”
Mr Toole said euthanasia was rarely raised with him by constituents, but he understood the strong opinions in the community.
“I very rarely have people raise the question of voluntary euthanasia with me but that’s not to say that for those families who have seen loved ones suffer for a long period of time that this is not an important issue to them,” he said.
“There will be a lot more discussion about any voluntary euthanasia bill before it makes it to the floor of parliament to be considered and there is a lot more information and different opinions that will need to be pit forward.”
The working group is comprised of Nationals MLC Trevor Khan, Greens MLC Mehreen Faruqi, Labor MLC Lynda Voltz, Liberal MP Lee Evans and independent MP Alex Greenwich.
The bill is expected in the second half of 2017.
Declan Rurenga
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
