The campaigner for Dying with Dignity, Peter Short of Melbourne, died yesterday, less than a year since he was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer on his 57th birthday.
Earlier we have reported about the work that Peter has done for the campaign during 2014. Specifically, he has provided significant support to Senator Di Natale’s Exposure draft of the Medical Services (Dying with Dignity) Bill 2014.
Peter was very happy that he had a productive conversation with Tony Abbott 10 days before he died. While Mr Abbott indicated that he was unlikely to personally support voluntary euthanasia legislation, he told Mr Short that he would not “whip” his members into taking a party line on this issue and would allow a conscience vote.