SPCS

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS INC.

Formal Notice: SPCS AGM 2017

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The Society’s 2017 (Members Only) AGM will be held on Friday night from 7.30 p.m. to 8.15 p.m.

Following the AGM a presentation will be given by guest speaker (TBA) on the subject of Voluntary Euthanasia – Assisted Suicide dealt with in the proposed the End-of-Life Choice Bill, sponsored by ACT MP David Seymour.

AGM 2017 Date: Friday 30th June

Venue: Central Baptist Church, 46 Boulcott St, Wellington

Members’ Only AGM: 7.30 p.m – 8.00 p.m.
Followed by Free Public Address (All welcome)

8 pm to 8.45 p.m. approx.

Lecture topic:

“Euthanasia – Assisted Suicide: Changing Demographics and Changing Metaphors”

Speaker: Dr John Kleinsman

Director of The Nathaniel Centre, Wellington

Followed by questions & discussion

Concluding with supper: 9 p.m. – 9.30 p.m. approx.

For Background reading on AGM Lecture topic see:

http://www.lifechoice.org.nz

and

http://euthanasiadebate.org.nz/resources-2/end-of-life-choice-bill/

Voluntary euthanasia to be debated after Seymour bill drawn from ballot

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Act Party leader David Seymour says he believes he has the numbers to at least get his voluntary euthanasia bill past the first hurdle.

Speaking after his private member’s bill was pulled from the ballot today, Seymour said 40 MPs had indicated they would support it, while 27 said they would oppose it. Another 50 had said they were undecided.

He needs 61 votes for a majority at the first reading. While that is likely to take place before the September election, Seymour did not expect it to pass through all stages under the current Parliamentary term.

Parliament is also set to debate another conscience issue, legalising medical cannabis, after a bill in the

Her bill will exempt anyone with a qualifying medical condition to cultivate, possess or use cannabis for therapeutic purposes, if they have the support of a registered medical practitioner.

Seymour said he was delighted Parliament would debate voluntary euthanasia. He turned down a ministerial portfolio to focus on the issue.

“This is morally, democratically and legally the right thing for Parliament to do,” he told reporters at a press conference this afternoon.

While he believed some MPs may try to filibuster the legislation, he believed it could pass later this year under the next government.

“I think we will easily pass this legislation. Its time has come.”

NZ Herald full story dated 8 June 2017 here:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11872253 [Read more…]

Broadcasting Standards Authority uphold Seven Sharp complaint

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Prime-time current affairs show Seven Sharp has been issued with a complaint from the Broadcasting Standards Authority, after airing an “imbalanced” story about voluntary euthanasia in March of this year.

In light of the widely-publicised Lecretia Seales case which followed, the story proved extremely topical, timely and relevant however, according to the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA), also “lacked balance”.

The item was broadcast in March this year and featured the story of a terminally ill woman who is a long-standing voluntary euthanasia campaigner,” the BSA said in a statement on Monday.

“It also discussed the history of attempts to legalise voluntary euthanasia in New Zealand and overseas.

“The BSA found the item did not solely approach the issue of voluntary euthanasia from the personal perspective of the interviewee. It included a wider discussion of the voluntary euthanasia debate and law reform. This meant the broadcaster should have presented more than one side of the issue.” [Read more…]

Voluntary euthanasia to be examined by Parliamentary inquiry

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MPs will carry out an inquiry into voluntary euthanasia. Announcing an inquiry on Wednesday, chairman of the health select committee, Simon O’Connor, said members were “ready to engage” on what was an “important conversation that needs to be had”

On Tuesday, former Labour MP Maryan Street and Matt Vickers, the husband of Lecretia Seales, who died of a brain tumour on the same day she lost a High Court bid, presented the End-of-Life Choice petition to MPs.

The petition was delivered to the health select committee on Wednesday and will now be part of a wider inquiry into voluntary euthanasia.

Source:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/69676566/select-committee-inquiry-into-legalising-voluntary-euthanasia