Late on 15 August 2018, the Senate voted against granting the NT and the ACT the power to legislate for euthanasia and assisted suicide.
This is a fantastic result and a welcome protection for some of the most vulnerable in our community!
The Senate vote was incredibly narrow, 36 votes against to 34 in favour. That means we can make several observations:
- The vote could easily have gone the other way;
- The combined efforts of the Australian Medical Association, pro-life MPs, and pro-family advocates were crucial to securing a good outcome; and
- We must be incredibly vigilant, especially with a federal election looming, to ensure we do not lose a repeat vote in future.
Australian Family Coalition supporters were vitally important to this debate. We can report that TENS of THOUSANDS of emails were sent to Senators by people using our online webform.
Here is a breakdown of how each state or territory’s senators voted on the bill:
Australian Capital Territory
NO |
YES |
Zed Seselja – LIB |
David Smith – ALP |
New South Wales
NO |
YES |
Brian Burston – UAP |
Doug Cameron – ALP |
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells – LIB |
Kristina Keneally – ALP |
Jim Molan – LIB |
David Leyonhjelm – LDP |
Deborah O'Neill – ALP |
Jenny McAllister – ALP |
John Williams – NAT |
Marise Payne – LIB |
Northern Territory
NO |
YES |
Malarndirri McCarthy – ALP |
|
Nigel Scullion – CLP |
Queensland
NO |
YES |
Fraser Anning – KAP |
Andrew Bartlett – Greens |
Matthew Canavan – NAT |
Anthony Chisholm – ALP |
Chris Ketter – ALP |
Pauline Hanson – ON |
James McGrath – LIB |
Ian Macdonald – LIB |
Barry O'Sullivan – NAT |
Claire Moore – ALP |
Amanda Stoker – LIB |
Murray Watt – ALP |
South Australia
NO |
YES |
Cory Bernardi – AC |
Simon Birmingham – LIB |
Don Farrell – ALP |
Stirling Griff – CA |
David Fawcett – LIB |
Sarah Hanson-Young – Greens |
Alex Gallacher – ALP |
Rex Patrick – CA |
Lucy Gichuhi – LIB |
Tim Storer – IND |
Anne Ruston – LIB |
Penny Wong - ALP |
Tasmania
NO |
YES |
Eric Abetz – LIB |
Catryna Bilyk – ALP |
David Bushby – LIB |
Carol Brown – ALP |
Richard Colbeck – LIB |
Nick McKim – Greens |
Jonathon Duniam – LIB |
Lisa Singh – ALP |
Steve Martin – NAT |
Anne Urquhart – ALP |
Helen Polley – ALP |
Peter Whish-Wilson – Greens |
Victoria
NO |
YES |
Jacinta Collins – ALP |
Richard Di Natale – Greens |
Mitch Fifield – LIB |
Derryn Hinch – DHJP |
Jane Hume – LIB |
Janet Rice – Greens |
James Paterson – LIB |
|
Scott Ryan – LIB |
Western Australia
NO |
YES |
Slade Brockman – LIB |
Sue Lines – ALP |
Michaelia Cash – LIB |
Louise Pratt – ALP |
Mathias Cormann – LIB |
Rachel Siewert – Greens |
Patrick Dodson – ALP |
Jordon Steele-John – Greens |
Peter Georgiou – ON |
Glenn Sterle – ALP |
Linda Reynolds – LIB |
|
Dean Smith – LIB |
Euthanasia and assisted suicide can be divisive topics, so it’s important to constantly remind people that those terms do not mean simply turning off the machine or letting nature take its course. Euthanasia turns healers into killers – or at least accessories to their patients’ suicides.
This is not a path our country should head down, especially when we see the disturbing end result in countries like Belgium and the Netherlands, where children and those with mental health issues have had their lives ended.
By helping Australia’s territories to avoid this slippery slope, you have helped protect the vitally important medical role of our doctors and sent a positive message to many who feel they are a burden on others.
The team at Australian Family Coalition would like to sincerely thank everyone who contacted their senators about this bill.
We really appreciate your ongoing support!
Kind regards,
The Australian Family Coalition
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