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Greens launch bid for 'right to die' laws

The Greens say they want a senate inquiry into euthanasia, with a view to introducing laws in the next parliament.

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Source: AAP


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The Greens will introduce laws in the next federal parliament that would give people the right to die.

Greens Senator Richard Di Natale and senate hopeful Cate Faehrmann announced the plan in Sydney on Thursday.

The Greens' proposed laws would use a bill introduced by Ms Faehrmann in NSW as a starting point, but any legislation would be shaped by a senate inquiry.

Ms Faehrmann's bill, which gave terminally ill people who were over 18 and mentally capable the right to an assisted death, was voted down in the state's upper house in May.

She said she wanted take up the fight on the national stage.

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"It's compassionate law reform, it's much-needed, it's overdue," Ms Faehrmann told AAP.

She said she'd been inundated with messages of support from people who said the issue was a "vote-changer".

Senator Di Natale, a former GP, said he believed any federal right-to-die laws would be supported by most Australians.

"People want to have the right to die with dignity, and they don't want governments to get in the way of that," he told AAP.

"Most people won't exercise the right to die with dignity, but just the fact that that legislation exists gives them a great sense of comfort to know if things become too much, they can make a choice to end that pain and suffering."

He said assisted death laws would give doctors legal protection as well as peace of mind for the terminally ill.

"Many of us have been in a situation where we have hastened someone's death in an effort to end their pain and suffering, and we're constantly walking a tightrope when it comes to making that decision," he said.

Safeguards might include a requirement that any act of euthanasia be signed off by an independent doctor, he said.


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