Darwin Bishop Charles Gauci says Church will ‘not condone’ scare tactics over voluntary assisted dying debate

As the Territory contemplates voluntary assisted dying, the Bishop of Darwin has pledged for a ‘respectful dialogue’. Why the Church has concerns.

Bishop Charles Gauci has spoken of the issue of VAD in the Northern Territory amid discussion dementia patients could have access to provision.

The Bishop of Darwin maintains the Church will “not condone” actions that perverse debate around voluntary assisted dying.

Bishop Charles Gauci made the pledge after concerns were raised by VAD advocates, including Council on the Ageing NT chief executive Sue Shearer, whose group has long supported legislation for the practice.

Ms Shearer last week said there were fears members of the religious community would attempt to “frighten” Indigenous people.

“There are concerns that legislation would be misconstrued and people with religious belief will try to – like they did in ‘95 – frighten Indigenous people,” Ms Shearer told the NT News.

“But it can be pretty simple, it’s a voluntary scheme, nobody will be forced.”

Bishop Gauci said he could “not speak” to the events of 1995, but maintained the church was committed to listening to “various groups” and engaging in a “respectful dialogue”, including with First Nations people.

Bishop Charles Gauci has pledged the Church will engage “various groups” throughout the VAD debate. Picture: Catholic Diocese of Darwin.

However, Bishop Gauci told The Australian the church held concerns over the divisive issue.

“Introducing VAD for individuals with mental illness who are not in immediate danger of death contradicts our efforts to reduce suicide rates among this demographic and undermines initiatives aimed at assisting people with mental illness to lead fulfilling lives,” he said.

“Therefore, introducing VAD for mental illness may inadvertently hinder our efforts to provide holistic support and treatment options for individuals grappling with mental health challenges.”

Bishop Gauci also said “careful consideration” was required for Indigenous communities.

“It is essential to engage in meaningful dialogue with Indigenous stakeholders to understand their perspectives and concerns regarding VAD, particularly in relation to culturally appropriate palliative care and end-of-life decision making processes.”

• The bullet point summary was created with the assistance of AI technology (PaLM2) then edited and approved for publication by an editor.