2017 was the year of conscience for same sex marriage reform. Now there’s a call to talk about and bring reform to the right to die with dignity, euthanasia, writes HEATHER GRANT-CAMPBELL.
NO ONE knew Anne McCuaig was ill until her collarbone snapped one morning while making her bed.
Subsequent medical testing showed she had cancer; it had metastasised throughout her body to many organs as well as her bones.
Four months later, the 69-year-old Caloundra resident died. It was not a “good” death.
Daughter Julia McCuaig, 45, said her mother was wracked in pain despite ever-increasing doses of painkillers and the caring support of palliative nurses.
“One Sunday morning, Mum begged me to help end her life. I couldn’t,” Ms McCuaig said.
“I called her GP and I watched a nightmare play out.
“We were best friends. Mum was such a cool lady.
“There was no quality to her end. She even said sick animals were treated more humanely.
“I had always assumed that if you are in pain, you would get pain relief and it would help. What I know now is that palliative care is enough for some people but not for others.”
Ms McCuaig spoke to The Senior as public pressure mounts for Queensland parliament to consider assisted dying law reforms.
While Victoria became the first Australian state to pass laws enabling assisted dying last November, similar efforts in NSW and South Australia have failed.
“Unlike other states, Queensland has not debated this subject,” said Clem Jones Trust chair David Muir as he revealed details of a $5 million bequest in the late Brisbane lord mayor’s will, earmarked to influence euthanasia law reforms.
“It’s time to conduct an inquiry into potential reforms that could lead to change.
“As a first step, I have written to all 93 state members encouraging them to open the conversation in their electorates so they know their constituents’ thoughts.
“This is not a political issue. It is an issue of compassion and of conscience.”
Support for a public inquiry into legislative reform options has been ruled out by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk during the first year of the new government.
“I want to see how Victoria operates first before we take any other steps,” she said.
The premier also refused to be drawn on her personal position on the issue.
Several Cabinet colleagues, including Deputy Premier Jackie Trad and Employment Minister Shannon Fentiman, are known to support assisted dying reforms.
If given the opportunity to speak to Ms Palaszczuk, Ms McCuaig said her message would be simple: “I’d appeal to her to give everyone the right to choose.
“My dad died 10 months after Mum. He had Parkinson’s; he was not in physical pain and assisted dying would not have been his choice.
“Mum wanted it and had no choice. She deserved better.”
The Senior sought comment from opponents to euthanasia, including Hope Australia.
Reforms wanted
What do voluntary assisted dying reforms seek?
Laws that would give competent adults suffering from terminal or advanced incurable illness that causes intolerable suffering an option to seek strictly controlled medical assistance to end their life safely.
