Care Alliance Launches ‘Ten Questions For David Seymour’ Campaign
The Care Alliance today launched a campaign highlighting ten key questions MPs need to ask about David Seymour’s End of
Life Choice Bill.
“Mr Seymour’s bill is an extreme version of a very bad idea,” said Matthew Jansen, Secretary of the Care Alliance. “All
New Zealanders need to examine it critically, especially Members of Parliament who might be asked to debate it soon.”
Mr Jansen said the Ten Questions would be progressively released over the next two weeks. The first question, released
today, is ‘Why 18 years of age?’. “This question highlights the inconsistency of Mr Seymour’s argument that euthanasia
is ‘compassionate’. If killing is so kind, why not make it available for children as they do in Belgium and the
Netherlands?”
He noted that in 2013 Maryan Street said ‘Application for children with terminal illness was a bridge too far in my view
at this time. That might be something that may happen in the future, but not now.’
“The reality is that making 18 the age of eligibility is a political calculation, rather than an ethical, legal or
medical judgment,” said Mr Jansen.
ENDS