David Seymour’s Shameful attempt to Discredit Submissions Opposed to His bill

David Seymour claims that submissions opposing his bill are the result of a campaign of “Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt” from an anti –assisted dying lobby spouting mistruths about the bill. He is seeking to influence the Justice Select Committee to reject submissions and in so doing undermining the democratic process.

His baseless allegations are deeply offensive and insulting to the thousands of New Zealanders who have sent submissions on behalf of their children, families and wider community expressing their great concerns at the threat to life that this ill - advised bill represents. What Seymour is in fact saying is that the parliamentary process of receiving submissions is of no significance or value but that public opinion polls, conducted by asking, frankly, what can be described as ‘leading’ or at least ill-informed questions are of superior value. This is in effect nonsense and needs to be challenged.

David Seymour should if he wishes to retain any credibility refrain from commenting on the submissions. He has not seen the 28,800 submissions, is not qualified to comment on the quality of the submissions and should allow the Justice Committee to get on with its business of considering the submissions.

David Seymour’s dismisses organisations opposed to doctors killing patients or assisting suicides, calling them the anti–assisted dying lobby. David Seymour is aware that this “lobby” fully supports lawful and ethical assisted dying provided by the medical profession and palliative care. They are, though, totally opposed to assisted dying that entails killing patients or assisting their suicide masquerading as medical care.

David Seymour claims that opinion polls consistently reveal that the majority of New Zealanders support “medically assisted death.” The polls are misleading. We believe that many of those polled simply want to ensure that pain relief and the withdrawal of burdensome treatment does not become illegal. The polls have often been commissioned by organisations that support euthanasia and appeal to people’s fears about “insufferable pain.” The result is therefore not accurate.

David Seymour says he hopes that submissions will have suggestions that will enable the Committee to improve the bill. The truth is that nothing can fix this bill. Nothing the Committee can do can make doctors killing patients or assisting in their suicide which is intrinsically evil ever acceptable, ever.

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