Where are the safeguards for Māori and the disabled in end of life law?
Stuff co.nz 1 November 2020
Family First Comment: I am a disabled Māori woman who lives with pain 24/7. That pain will progressively increase as I live on, and so I am very aware of the disparities that exist in our health and disability system.
I am also aware of how poverty and a lack of access to good medical interventions, such as the expensive cost of accessing medicinal cannabis, thanks to an inept Pharmac, lead to choices of desperation rather than a choice of free will.
OPINION: In 12 months assisted dying will be legal as, unsurprisingly, the mainstream demographic has predictably spoken with a 65.2 per cent yes vote in the preliminary results.
Congratulations to those who have had their wish granted and commiserations to those who haven’t. Whilst I am myself pro-choice, I remain opposed to this law for two reasons – those being the risk to indigenous people and the disabled, as evidenced by international research in countries where it is legal.
I am a disabled Māori woman who lives with pain 24/7. That pain will progressively increase as I live on, and so I am very aware of the disparities that exist in our health and disability system.
I am also aware of how poverty and a lack of access to good medical interventions, such as the expensive cost of accessing medicinal cannabis, thanks to an inept Pharmac, lead to choices of desperation rather than a choice of free will.
There are also issues with defining terminal and many, it seems, wrongly assume disabled won’t be affected without realising many disabilities by their very nature are terminal.
Therefore, trying to stop the voices of our disabled has led to some incorrect assumptions and misunderstanding as to why many of us have spoken out against THIS particular act.
It is poorly drafted and lacks safety mechanisms.
READ MORE: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/euthanasia-debate/300146508/where-are-the-safeguards-for-mori-and-the-disabled-in-end-of-life-law?cid=app-iPhone
