Law Commission Must Not Be Asked to Promote Homicide

MARCH 31, 2015

Right to Life is opposed to the recommendation of Green Member of Parliament, Keith Hague MP, that the government instruct the Law Commission to lead a public consultation on euthanasia. Sir Grant Hammond, President of the Law Commission, in February told the Justice and Electoral Parliamentary Select Committee, that the Commission “was stretched to the limit” with its work load.

Euthanasia is about doctors killing their patients or assisting in their suicide. Both murder and assisting in suicide are serious crimes. They are, in the Crimes Act to protect the vulnerable in society.

The role of the Law Commission, established in 1986, is to promote the systematic review of the law, its reform and the development of the law in New Zealand. The great American statesman, Benjamin Franklin said that the first and only duty of government is to legislate for the protection of human life and not to preside over the destruction of mankind. Human life remains the most precious shared value of New Zealanders –the right to life and the right to protect life. Life is a sacred trust from the Creator. This principle is enshrined in New Zealand law since the founding of our nation in 1840. It is reaffirmed in the New Zealand Bill of Rights.

It would constitute a grave injustice, if the Law Commission, the guardian of our human rights and a just society, were to be required to conduct a consultation with the community on amending the law, prohibiting murder and assisted suicide to allow for doctors to kill their patients or assist in their suicide.

There is no need to have a further conversation on euthanasia. There have already been two extensive debates on this contentious issue in our Parliament in 1995 and 2003. The dangers of legalising Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide were detailed in a report from the British House of Lords in 1994. following its enquiry into euthanasia in Holland. The Committee studying the Dutch situation concluded that it would be unwise to legislate for euthanasia, as many patients who did not want to be killed, would be killed by a doctor without their knowledge or consent. In 1983 The Law Reform Commission of Canada recommended against legalizing or decriminalizing voluntary active euthanasia, as it would be unwise and dangerous social policy. It also recommended that aiding suicide not be decriminalized.

Right to Life requests that the government protects our right to life, by declining any request from the Green Party, or the Labour Party, to instruct the Law Commission to conduct a consultation with the public, on introducing legislation to allow doctors to kill their patients, or assist in their suicide.

Ken Orr

Spokesperson,

Right to Life

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