Health
Premier defends A-G’s voluntary euthanasia strategy
Tasmania’s Premier has defended his Attorney-General’s decision to use public money to develop voluntary euthanasia legislation.
Lara Giddings is planning to use resources from her office and department to investigate and draft a Private Members Bill.
The idea has been criticised by religious leaders, who say public money could be better spent.
But the Premier David Bartlett says there are many precedents for this, and he supports Ms Giddings.
“I support the Attorney-General in the work that she’s doing in both her work as Attorney-General and as a private member,” Mr Bartlett said.
“The resources that she has available to her are exactly that and no doubt she’ll make good use of them.”
The Greens Leader Nick McKim, who last year had his Dying with Dignity bill defeated, says he is looking forward to working constructively with Ms Giddings.
“And I believe if we do that, we will give this legislation the best chance it could possibly have of passing.”
He says there are a number of new members of parliament he believes would support the legislation.
Mr McKim has also dismissed religious groups’ criticism of the plan to introduce voluntary euthanasia legislation, saying the majority of Tasmanians support it.
“Church leaders will never in my view support voluntary euthanasia – that’s a matter for them,” he said.
“But I do make the point that 80 per cent of the Tasmanian community want law reform in this area.