Media release   Euthanasia-Free NZ is disappointed that the New Zealand public voted to pass a flawed euthanasia law, based on widespread confusion. Polling during the advance voting period showed that 80% of New Zealand adults were misunderstanding what the End of Life Choice Act would legalise. Only 20% of respondents knew that this Act would not make it legal to turn off machines that are keeping people alive. “It seems that most New Zealanders voted for an end-of-life choice that is in fact already legal,” says Renée Joubert, Executive Officer of Euthanasia-Free NZ. Two ..read more

​Media Release Support for the End of Life Choice Act is at a record low, according to a nationwide poll conducted on Monday. In less than a week, support for the Act has dropped from 60% to 55% and opposition has increased from 25% to 34%. About 11% are still unsure how they would vote. “An increasing number of people supports the idea of euthanasia or assisted dying, but is voting ‘no’ to this specific Act,” says Renée Joubert, Executive Officer of Euthanasia-Free NZ. Supporters are twice as likely than opponents to be uninformed about the Act’s details. Interestingly, 62% of people who had ..read more

The Act in its current form is simply not safe.   Vanessa Kururangi is a State House Tenant Advocate. She intends to vote for the Green Party, ‘yes’ in the Cannabis referendum, but ‘no’ in the End of Life Choice referendum. Here is an excerpt of what she had published in The Daily Blog: After LOTS of contemplation I will vote NO to the End of Life Choice Act 2019. This could have and should have been drafted better. Also, I have serious concerns for the way differently-abled peoples lives are viewed, and also for those terminally ill people who (out of pure love for their carers and whān ..read more

   Media release    Recent nationwide polling shows that 80% of New Zealand adults are still confused about what the End of Life Choice Act would legalise.    It’s not about turning off machines.   Respondents were asked, “According to your understanding of the End of Life Choice Act, would it legalise people choosing to have machines turned off that are keeping them alive?” Only 21% knew that this Act would not make it legal to have life support machines turned off. Alarmingly, 45% were unsure and 34% thought that the Act would legalise this choice, whe ..read more

Media Release   Several incorrect statements on the End of Life Choice Act were included in today’s Q&A programme. In the interest of a fair referendum result at Election 2020, Euthanasia-Free NZ calls on TVNZ to urgently correct this misinformation on its existing online articles and social media posts, as well as via a follow-up programme on this referendum. Even though most of these inaccurate statements were made by individuals, they are still misleading voters. It’s disappointing that some factual errors have subsequently been reported as facts in the accompanying online article ..read more

Media Release “David Seymour’s criticism of the Votesafe.nz Quiz on the End of Life Choice Act referendum is misinformed and unreasonable”, says Renée Joubert, Executive Officer of Euthanasia-Free NZ. The quiz, which is promoted by the Safer Future Charitable Trust, includes 10 questions on the details of the End of Life Choice Act referendum.   “Can an eligible 18-year-old receive a lethal dose without their parents knowing?”   In The Spinoff this quiz question is attacked because it doesn’t also specify the eligibility criteria. However, since the word “eli ..read more

  Media release   Brooke van Velden  – newly-minted Deputy Leader of the ACT Party – spoke at a community event last Monday night in Epsom, Auckland, which was attended by several Euthanasia-Free NZ supporters. Unfortunately Ms van Velden’s presentation was heavy on spin and light on substance, and included glaring errors on the End of Life Choice Act. Her speech followed that of Jan Nichols, the Chief Executive of Harbour Hospice, who discussed some concerns of those who care for dying people.  These included: the lack of a stand down period in the Act before the ..read more

Media Release   “It’s David Seymour who is engaging in “dirty politics” by trying to prejudice the public against a possible future campaign on the End of Life Choice Act”, says Renée Joubert, Executive Officer of Euthanasia-Free NZ. According to TVNZ One News, he and others from the “yes” campaign are complaining that statements used in a recent poll “could be used to influence voters”. “Seymour is being unreasonable. He labels short statements as “lies” simply because they don’t communicate additional, arbitrary facts about the End of Life Choice Act”, says Ms Joubert. “The two s ..read more

Support for euthanasia has softened since December 2019, according to Research NZ managing partner Emanuel Kalafatelis. This month New Zealanders were polled on the same question they were asked in December 2019. Support for assisted dying legislation dropped from approximately 70% in December to 64% this month. Those who are strongly in favour of the legislation dropped from 50% to 33%.   “We asked them whether they were in favour or not in favour of the legislation which allows terminally ill adults to request a medically assisted death,” Kalafatelis said. It’s important to note that ..read more

Media Release   “The Government’s official information on the End of Life Choice Act referendum is misleading and biased,” says Renée Joubert, Executive Officer of Euthanasia-Free NZ. “The government’s summary misrepresents the End of Life Choice Act. It oversimplifies one of the eligibility criteria and overstates the protections against pressure.”     Euthanasia doesn’t need to be a last resort   The flyer identifies one of the eligibility criteria as, “experience unbearable suffering that cannot be eased”. “This statement is misleading, because it implies ..read more