Terminal patients at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre ambushed by activists

Terminal cancer patients trying to undergo treatment at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre have been harassed by anti-euthanasia protesters handing out inflammatory leaflets at the hospital entrance.

The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre has boosted security to give patients unimpeded access to the building during the anti-euthanasia protest. Picture: Kris Reichl

Terminal cancer patients trying to undergo treatment have been ambushed by anti-euthanasia activists accusing Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre of conducting “state sponsored executions”.

The hospital and state MPs have criticised the protesters after a handful gathered in front of the cancer centre on Friday handing out inflammatory leaflets.

With a non-official Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre letterhead at the top, information handed out by the protesters highlights the hospitals’ process to employ Voluntary Assisted Dying Care Navigators, labelling the move as “state sanctioned extra judicial executions”.

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Reason Leader Fiona Patten. Picture: Mark Stewart

As the Andrews Government said it would consider banning anti-euthanasia activists near hospitals by adopting safe access zones similar to those at abortion clinics, Premier Daniel Andrews slammed the protesters.

“This is appalling behaviour and those people who have been harassing cancer patients should be ashamed of themselves,” Mr Andrews said.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre said it had put security staff in place and undertaken measures to provide patients with unimpeded access to the building throughout the protest, as well as making support staff available to those distressed by the flyers.

“Our patients, their families and carers, and our staff, should not be made to feel harassed while attending Peter Mac,” the hospital’s statement said.

The leaflet distributed by the activists includes links to anti-euthanasia groups Australian Care Alliance and Hope: preventing euthanasia and suicide, however neither group responded to the Herald Sun’s requests to discuss the matter on Wednesday.

Reason Leader Fiona Patten raised the issue publicly on Wednesday, saying she was horrified by the harassment of staff, cancer patients and their families a month out from Victoria’s Voluntary Assisted Dying laws coming into force.

Health Minister Jenny Mikakos. Picture: Tony Gough

“This is just horrible. A woman with stage four cancer was handed this awful flyer when visiting her dying husband.” Ms Patten said.

“And staff members are reporting that they are being labelled “murderers” by activists as they go to work.

“It would be a very low day for Victoria if I have to create laws to protect terminally ill people accessing the hospital.”

But Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said she was going to examine the measures.

“Voluntary Assisted Dying is obviously a deeply personal choice, and people should be able to make their own decisions without the coercion of others — especially when they are terminally ill,” Ms Mikakos said.

“We introduced landmark Safe Access Zones to stop women from being blocked, abused or intimidated when they accessed abortion clinics. We will carefully consider whether there is a need to protect others from such appalling behaviour.”

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