By Paul Russell, Founder, HOPE Australia
Rachel Carling-Jenkins
Hot on the heels of HOPE’s call for a parliamentary inquiry into Exit International and following closely upon Disability Advocates, Lives Worth Living, joining their voice, Victorian Upper House MP, Rachel Carling-Jenkins has now called upon her Federal colleagues to ‘take this on board as a matter of high priority.’
In her statement, Rachel Carling-Jenkins welcomes the decision of the medical board to restrict Dr. Philip Nitschke’s association with Exit and suicide advocacy, adding that, ‘This is just the tip of the iceberg.’
‘We know vulnerable Australians have been falling victim to the dark world of suicide advocacy, especially through Exit International. This includes young Australians who had their whole lives ahead of them.’ Carling-Jenkins said .
“It is great to see the Medical Board [of Australia] doing their job in protecting the public and managing risk to patients,” Dr Carling-Jenkins said. “Now parliamentarians must do their part to protect vulnerable people – in this case suicidal people who gain access to methods of suicide from groups like Exit International.”
You can read the full press release below:
MEDICAL BOARD DECISION ON PHILIP NITSCHKE NECESSITATES NEED FOR NATIONAL INQUIRY
Dr Rachel Carling-Jenkins, Member for Western Metropolitan Region in the Victorian Parliament, has welcomed the Medical Board of Australia’s decision to severely restrict Nitschke’s medical licence and calls for further investigations.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg”, Dr Carling-Jenkins said.
“We know vulnerable Australians have been falling victim to the dark world of suicide advocacy, especially through Exit International. This includes young Australians who had their whole lives ahead of them.”
“I welcome the Medical Board’s decision and support the call for a full national investigation into Exit International and the industry of suicide advocacy.”
Calls for a national investigation have been made by groups around the country, including disability rights advocacy group ‘Lives Worth Living’ and the ‘HOPE: preventing euthanasia and assisted suicide’ coalition.
“I hope my fellow parliamentarians in the Federal Parliament will take this on board as a matter of high priority.”
Yesterday, Nitschke agreed to conditions imposed on him by the Medical Board, which put an end to his involvement in providing any advice or information to any patient or member of the public about how to commit suicide.
The conditions also require Nitschke to pull out from his website, Exit International.
“It is great to see the Medical Board doing their job in protecting the public and managing risk to patients”, Dr Carling-Jenkins said. “Now parliamentarians must do their part to protect vulnerable people – in this case suicidal people who gain access to methods of suicide from groups like Exit International.”
Editor’s note. This appeared at noeuthanasia.org.au