Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Pro-life advocates say resources need to be invested in palliative care rather than euthanasia

byMark Bowling
1 February 2018 - Updated on 1 April 2021
Reading Time: 3 mins read
AA
hospital patient

Relieving pain: “Doctors should kill the pain, not the patient. The first duty of the medical profession is to do no harm.”

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
hospital patient
Relieving pain: “Doctors should kill the pain, not the patient. The first duty of the medical profession is to do no harm.”

AUSTRALIA should be looking at ways to care for its aging population rather than considering euthanasia, the pro-life organisation Cherish Life Queensland says.

“We need to put more resources into palliative care,” Cherish Life president Julie Borger said, reacting to a new drive to legalise voluntary euthanasia in Queensland.

The multi-million-dollar estate left by former Brisbane Lord Mayor Clem Jones is to be used to bankroll a campaign to legalise euthanasia similar to the campaign in Victoria which last year led to the passing of an assisted-dying law, which will come into effect next year.

Mr Jones, who was Brisbane Lord Mayor from 1961 to 1975, bequeathed most of his estate to a charitable foundation to be directed to a number of causes, including up to $5 million to help campaign for voluntary euthanasia across the country.

David Muir, of the Clem Jones Trust, said the former Lord Mayor was “driven by compassion”.

“We need it in Queensland as we do in other parts of the country for the very reason that people at end of life are going through terrible suffering,” Mr Muir said.

“What we need is to give right of choice to Queenslanders at end of life between a good death and a bad death.”

Cherish Life Queensland claims the pro-euthanasia lobby has hijacked the phrase “dying with dignity”.

“The misnomer ‘assisted dying’ hides what euthanasia really is – intentional killing by lethal injection administered by doctors, or doctors providing poison for the patient to take,” Cherish Life’s vice-president Alan Baker said.

“Doctors should kill the pain, not the patient. The first duty of the medical profession is to do no harm.

Related Stories

Brisbane-based Jesuit Father Ian Howells has died aged 91

Easter speaks of a love which is stronger than death

People opt for euthanasia ‘out of fear’ of being a burden

“This is why the AMA (Australian Medical Association) is opposed to the legalisation of euthanasia and instead supports palliative care, which is the true form of assisted dying.

“This focuses on relieving pain and keeping patients comfortable in order to allow a natural and dignified death at their appointed time.

“Good medical practice is all about facilitating natural death with dignity and peace.

“Cherish Life Queensland will be working hard with other pro-life and pro-family groups to stop this culture of death coming to our state.”

Mr Muir claims 80 per cent of Australians want reform to allow voluntary euthanasia.

The Clem Jones group has written to all Queensland MPs urging them to get behind its pro-euthanasia campaign.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said a parliamentary inquiry into end-of-life issues was not on the agenda for the first year of her new government, but she had not ruled out a possible inquiry “down the track”.

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington has opposed legalising assisted dying.

If and when the Government calls for an inquiry, Palliative Care Queensland wants palliative care included in the discussion of end-of-life care and laws.

“Dying is a part of life, it happens to us all,” PCA executive officer Shyla Mills said.

“We know that well-resourced palliative care can improve the quality of life for patients and their families.

“To improve the quality of dying we need more community conversations, education of health professionals and a supported workforce dedicated to palliative care.

“The availability of excellent palliative care must be central to any conversation in the community or Parliament about end-of-life laws.”

Palliative care provides specialist management of symptoms such as pain and shortness of breath, provides psychological and emotional support to patients and families, including children, and helps them deal with all aspects of death and dying such as financial issues.

“Not every person who dies will require specialist palliative care but, for people with complex symptoms, it is essential,” Ms Mills said.

“Every Queenslander who needs palliative care must have access to it, but the current levels of funding are insufficient to guarantee that access.”

Purchase a copy of The Catholic Leader at your local parish or subscribe to receive The Catholic Leader at your door or inbox every week.

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Nurse who lost her son to leukaemia and literacy educator among Queensland Catholics in Australia Day honours list

Next Post

Catholic child protection watchdog appoints well-known Brisbane high school principal to important new role

Mark Bowling

Mark is the joint winner of the Australian Variety Club 2000 Heart Award for his radio news reporting in East Timor, and has also won a Walkley award, Australia’s most-respected journalism award. Mark is the author of ‘Running Amok’ that chronicles his time as a foreign correspondent juggling news deadlines and the demands of being a husband and father. Mark is married with four children.

Related Posts

Brisbane-based Jesuit Father Ian Howells has died aged 91
News

Brisbane-based Jesuit Father Ian Howells has died aged 91

29 April 2022
Archbishop

Easter speaks of a love which is stronger than death

17 April 2022
Hot Topics

People opt for euthanasia ‘out of fear’ of being a burden

6 April 2022
Next Post
Kerrie Tuite

Catholic child protection watchdog appoints well-known Brisbane high school principal to important new role

Stewardship Coordinator - Bundaberg Parish

Michaela Daphne

Catholic author to launch first book inspired by abusive history

Popular News

  • Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Holiness is possible and the Church provides tools to attain it, cardinal says

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Catholic relationship advisers offer five tips to look after your mental health
QLD

Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

by Joe Higgins
19 May 2022
0

FAITHFUL nationwide were getting out their rosary beads for a prayer event in honour of Australia’s patroness...

Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

19 May 2022
Holiness is possible and the Church provides tools to attain it, cardinal says

Holiness is possible and the Church provides tools to attain it, cardinal says

18 May 2022
Church workers have helped more than 1.2 million Ukrainians during the war, Caritas says

Church workers have helped more than 1.2 million Ukrainians during the war, Caritas says

18 May 2022
Minority Catholic woman takes pride in Asia’s overlooked saints

Minority Catholic woman takes pride in Asia’s overlooked saints

18 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping