TV personality Andrew Denton has been diagnosed with advanced heart disease and will be required to undergo multiple bypass surgery shortly.
The diagnosis forces Mr Denton, 57, to withdraw from the campaign to legalise euthanasia to which he has been devoting his energy in recent years.
The Go Gentle Australia director – who set up that organisation specifically to achieve law reform around the country – may be absent at a critical juncture: as Premier Daniel Andrews' bill for assisted dying is introduced and thrashed out in the Victorian Parliament.
His absence from the campaign has been described by some proponents as a "disaster" as the euthanasia debate heats up this month.
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In a sign of that the battlelines have well and truly been drawn, leaders of the Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Greek Orthodox and Coptic Orthodox churches placed an open letter in the Herald Sun on Monday saying that assisted suicide represented the "abandonment" of the terminally ill and sent a "confusing message" about the value of life.
Right to Life has also stepped up its opposition, sending out leaflets in nine marginal electorates – which looked as though they came from the sitting MP in each seat – suggesting Mr Andrews was attempting to sanction suicide to "save healthcare dollars".
- If you are troubled by this report, experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide, you can call Lifeline 131 114 or beyondblue 1300 224 636 or visit lifeline.org.au or beyondblue.org.au
