All Night on Euthanasia Bill
The Victorian State Parliament has been sitting for over 24 hours debating their Euthanasia Bill
The bill finally passed the lower house after 26 hours of debate.
The majority of Labor MPs backed the bill, along with two Greens, two independents and a handful of Coalition MPs. (The Deputy Premier was opposed to the bill and voted against it)
It will now go to the 40-member Upper House, where the numbers are also tight, for debate in a fortnight.
If it gets through the Upper House, terminally ill people over the age of 18, in severe pain and with only a year to live will be able to access lethal drugs.
If the bill passes the upper house Victoria will be the first state to introduce such legislation. The Northern Territory passed a similar bill some years ago (remember the film
Last Cab to Darwin?)but John Howard's Commonwealth Government over rode the legislation. The Federal Government cannot over ride such a state law - death is a state responsibility.