PARLIAMENT has killed off the latest push to introduce euthanasia laws in South Australia in a narrow vote today.

PREMIER Jay Weatherill has backed a failed bid to introduce new euthanasia laws in South Australia.

They were struck down by conservative Liberals and key  members of Labor's Right faction in State Parliament yesterday.

Independent MP Bob Such said his proposal - which would only apply to people suffering from a terminal illness and where pain could not be relieved - had all the possible safeguards.

It was thrown out 22-20 in a conscience vote.

Five MPs - including Opposition Leader Isobel Redmond - did not vote.

Mr Weatherill, the leader of Labor's minority Left faction, has previously declared his support for the introduction of euthanasia and was joined by senior ministers Pat Conlon and Paul Caica in backing the proposal.

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Influential members of Labor's Right faction, including Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis, Treasurer Jack Snelling and back-bencher Michael Atkinson voted against.

Community Christian groups launched a heavy lobbying campaign to galvanise MPs' opposition to change.

Yesterday's vote is the second major blow for euthanasia campaigners in  less than a year, follow- ing the collapse in support for  new legislation giving doctors a legal defence if they hasten death by providing pain-killing drugs.

That plan had the backing of Health and Ageing Minister John Hill but was attacked by the Law Society and Australian Medical Association.

It also led euthanasia campaigner Phillip Nitschke to scout out possible locations for an Adelaide clinic.

Following yesterday's euthanasia vote, Dr Such said he intended to "re-jig" the proposal and try again.

"It's a significant step forward to get that close in a vote," he told The Advertiser.

"Slavery wasn't abolished overnight and women didn't get the vote overnight. Big changes take time, but the Parliament will eventually catch up with the views of the broader community."

Liberals supporting change included frontbenchers Steven Marshall, John Gardner and Duncan McFetridge. Liberals voting against euthanasia included Deputy Opposition Leader Mitch Williams.

I think that what someone thinks no matter how precious they act should not influence or affect the way another lives their lives or treats their own body.
Euthanasia is the choice of the person in question and that person alone.

Organized crime has a perverted view on what freedom is, they should be taken with a grain of salt - freedom for them is the right to rape babies without consequences.

bobbythefap1 wrote on Jun 15^th, 2012 at 1:30pm:


Its not though is it. And did you know that the penalty for attempted suicide in QLD is "life"?

SOB

Personally I find it a lot more inhumane to have a culture which pushes dying people to squeeze every last day of life left out while living in pain or taking dangerous drugs and undergoing crap therapy of various descriptions.

I think that you either legalise euthanasia or legalise pot.
A lot of people considering euthanasia would probably opt for smoking pot instead.