Request for support with Statement of Clergy

I have been asked to prepare a statement relating specifically to Christian Clergy support for Anne Gabrielides and the New South Wales proposed Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2017

Anne (Annie) has rapidly progressing Motor Neurone Disease and her interview together with her family is truly heartrending. 

Annie’s video has already had over 200,000 views and more than 70,000 people have signed her petition.

I understand even though Annie can no longer talk, and now communicates with a board, she is still trying to meet with key MPs in NSW, hence her request for the Christian support angle.

I have prepared the attached Statement and our Patron Rev Dr Craig de Vos has agreed to be the Signatory to this Statement.

Please let me know your response. If you felt willing to pass it on to any Reverend colleagues who also may be willing to add their name to support compassionate assisted dying choice, that would be greatly appreciated by Annie.  Supportive endorsement is welcome from clergy in any state of Australia, and from overseas.

Should you also be willing to include a short personal message for Annie that I could add at the end of the Statement that too would be greatly appreciated. Simply email it to me for inclusion. 

The same Statement could be very useful later in the year when debate starts on the proposed Victorian legislation.

I do think this year is critical and we have not started all that well with the defeat of the Tasmanian VAD Bill. It is notable that the Tasmanian Catholic and Anglican leaders plus some others had an advert, complete with scaremongering misinformation and half truths, opposing the Tasmanian Bill, in the newspapers.  Also notable was the ‘conscience’ vote of the Liberal MPs, with 13 of the 14 Liberals voting against the Bill – in marked difference to the conscience of the Tasmanian voters who are 80% in support.

This Draft NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2017 has been prepared by a Cross-Party working group and has some unusual restrictions to enable a terminal patient to access assistance, eg a person needs to be over 25 y.o. I am told this is necessary to try to get enough MPs to support, but I think that is better than no legislation at all.  A link to the Draft Bill is here > http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/browse/bills/consultation/V

If you have any queries, please contact me.

I hope to hear from you very soon in support of Annie.