Can Euthanasia Bill pass first major hurdle?

South Australia’s latest euthanasia Bill is the 17th attempt in 25 years to get assisted dying laws changed. See how our MPs will vote.

South Australia’s latest euthanasia Bill will pass the first major hurdle in parliament this week, a poll has found, as some MPs grapple with the hardest decision of their lives.

An Advertiser survey of all Upper House members, excluding President John Dawkins, found 12 members were committed to voting in support of the Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) legislation on Wednesday.

Seven members remained against the Bill, while just two were undecided.

The latest push to legalise euthanasia is SA’s 17th attempt in 25 years.

Similar to the historic Termination of Pregnancy Bill, MPs will throw out party alliances and vote with their consciences.

Crossbencher Frank Pangallo, of the SA-BEST party, told The Advertiser he would vote against VAD, in what would be the “hardest decision of my life”.

“After doing extensive research and looking at various reports from overseas … I am of the view it is a dangerous slope that society is heading on,” he said.

“Despite what the supporters are saying, and through the experience of what’s happened in other countries, it would lead to a devaluation of human life.”

FOR: Kyam Maher, the author of the Bill. Picture: AAP/Kelly Barnes

AGAINST: Rob Lucas will vote against the Bill. Picture: Emma Brasier

Mr Pangallo was concerned that “opening the door” to voluntary assisted dying would lead to more amendments in future years, such as giving people with psychiatric illnesses access to euthanasia.

He said opposing the Bill “has been the hardest decision I’ve had to make in my life, because I have to make a call on the lives of people I don’t even know”.

Treasurer Rob Lucas also indicated he would oppose the Bill, but predicted it would comfortably progress to the Lower House.

Conservative MPs Terry Stephens and Dennis Hood will join him in voting against it.

Health and Wellbeing Minister Stephen Wade told The Advertiser he would support the legislation, saying SA should “favourably consider passing the Bill in its current form”, because it was “based on the cautious model being implemented by other Australian jurisdictions”.

Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink remained noncommittal on the Bill, though she supported it at the second reading.

In his first week in parliament, Robert Simms, who replaced SA Greens stalwart Mark Parnell, will vote in favour of the Bill as the party’s main spokesman on the legislation.

The current Bill includes 68 safeguards and is modelled on Victorian law. It proposes access to assisted dying for people living in SA for at least a year, who are aged 18 or older and diagnosed with an incurable disease, illness or medical condition that is advanced, progressive and is expected to cause death within weeks or months, and is causing suffering that cannot be relieved.

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Originally published as Can Euthanasia Bill pass first major hurdle?