Victoria’s Voluntary Assisted Dying law came into effect in June 2019. The first of its kind in Australia and touted as the most conservative in the world, the passing of Victoria’s law was a watershed moment for end-of-life care in this country.More than eighteen months on, in April 2021, what effect is this law having on end-of-life care for terminally ill Victorians? Is the law working as planned? And is there room for improvement?The final episode of Better Off Dead season two centres on a recording of the Wheeler Centre’s Last Words: Voluntary Assisted Dying panel discussion. Previously broadcast on Radio National’s Big Ideas programme, it features a panel discussion on voluntary assisted dying hosted by Paul Barclay. Panelists include Andrew Denton, founder of Go Gentle Australia and host of the Better Off Dead podcast; Justice Betty King QC, Chair of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board; Professor Phillip Parente, oncologist; and Ron Poole, a terminally ill Shepparton man who has chosen to access the voluntary assisted dying life-ending medication.Our special thanks to Ron Poole, who generously took time out of the precious final days of his life to share his perspective on voluntary assisted dying. Ron died on 26 April, less than a week after this panel discussion took place. Our thoughts are with his loved ones. "People come to this often – late. And they come late because they really haven’t known about it, haven’t been told about it or are in a situation where they don’t want to face mortality." Justice Betty King   Know more  Visit Go Gentle Australia gogentleaustralia.org.au  Audio: Legalising Voluntary Assisted Dying -- Radio National’s Big Ideas programme, part of Caxton Legal Centre's 'Justice in Focus' series. Presented in conjunction with QUT. Recorded on 21 February 2019 Visit: Voluntary Assisted Dying -- Victorian Health official website  In order of appearance: Paul Barclay, Ron Poole, Andrew Denton, Phillip Parente, Betty King Better Off Dead season two is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia.  Learn more about Go Gentle Australia’s work.  Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) Episode Page and transcript: Alice Boyle (The Wheeler Centre) Episode Artwork: Megan Herbert                                                                                                               Commissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre) Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan Laser Listen to Better Off Dead season one here, and subscribe in iTunes, or follow via your favourite podcast app. #BetterOffDeadpod Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you. Tell your story here. Transcript Download a transcript of this episode in PDF format. 

<p>Victoria’s Voluntary Assisted Dying law came into effect in June 2019. The first of its kind in Australia and touted as the most conservative in the world, the passing of Victoria’s law was a watershed moment for end-of-life care in this country.</p><p>More than eighteen months on, in April 2021, what effect is this law having on end-of-life care for terminally ill Victorians? Is the law working as planned? And is there room for improvement?</p><p>The final episode of Better Off Dead season two centres on a recording of the Wheeler Centre’s Last Words: Voluntary Assisted Dying panel discussion. Previously broadcast on Radio National’s Big Ideas programme, it features a panel discussion on voluntary assisted dying hosted by Paul Barclay. Panelists include Andrew Denton, founder of Go Gentle Australia and host of the Better Off Dead podcast; Justice Betty King QC, Chair of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board; Professor Phillip Parente, oncologist; and Ron Poole, a terminally ill Shepparton man who has chosen to access the voluntary assisted dying life-ending medication.</p><p>Our special thanks to Ron Poole, who generously took time out of the precious final days of his life to share his perspective on voluntary assisted dying. Ron died on 26 April, less than a week after this panel discussion took place. Our thoughts are with his loved ones.</p><p> </p><blockquote><p>"People come to this often – late. And they come late because they really haven’t known about it, haven’t been told about it or are in a situation where they don’t want to face mortality."</p></blockquote> Justice Betty King   <h3>Know more</h3> <ul> <li>Visit Go Gentle Australia <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gogentleaustralia.org.au</a> </li> <li>Audio: <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bigideas/legalising-voluntary-assisted-dying/10882832" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Legalising Voluntary Assisted Dying</a> -- Radio National’s Big Ideas programme, part of Caxton Legal Centre's 'Justice in Focus' series. Presented in conjunction with QUT. Recorded on 21 February 2019</li> <li>Visit: <a href="https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/voluntary-assisted-dying" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Voluntary Assisted Dying</a> -- Victorian Health official website</li> </ul> <p>In order of appearance: Paul Barclay, Ron Poole, Andrew Denton, Phillip Parente, Betty King</p> <p><em>Better Off Dead</em> season two is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia. </p> <p><em>Learn more about <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go Gentle Australia’s work</a>. </em></p> <p>Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta <br/>Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)<br/><br/>Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  <br/>Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) <br/>Episode Page and transcript: Alice Boyle (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Episode Artwork: Megan Herbert                                                                                                               <br/>Commissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan Laser</p> <p>Listen to Better Off Dead season one <a href="https://www.wheelercentre.com/broadcasts/podcasts/better-off-dead" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, and subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or follow via your favourite podcast app.</p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#BetterOffDeadpod</a></p> <h3>Your stories</h3> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you. <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/share_your_story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tell your story here</a>.</p> <h3>Transcript</h3> <p>Download a transcript of this episode in <a href="https://wheeler-centre-heracles.s3.amazonaws.com/0da/890/e08/0da890e080db6883d6df1965b5f489e6aebf5df036ff6b22a3b618f76504/Better%20Off%20Dead%20s02e14%20transcript.docx.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PDF format</a>. </p>

Bonus Episode 14: Last Words: Voluntary Assisted Dying 

When Victoria’s VAD law was passed in 2017, it was touted by Premier Daniel Andrews as ‘the most conservative in the world’. This was true. Its 68 safeguards made it a far more daunting law for terminally ill people to access than similar laws in other countries. But was it too daunting? Much was said in parliament by opponents about the law’s ‘unintended consequences’. What if there are wrongful deaths? What if the doctor-patient relationship is damaged? Palliative care diminished?None of these fears have turned out to be true. But that doesn’t mean there have been no unintended consequences. They’ve just turned out to be not as opponents argued.In this episode, we hear from the families of two eligible Victorians who struggled to access VAD. And we hear something never heard before —-- a father and daughter as they actually go through the process of applying for a VAD permit, a process during which initial gratitude quickly turns to frustration, fear and anger.Allan Cornell and his daughter Kristin: photo Supplied“She wrote numerous letters and made numerous phone calls to, it seemed like, 30 neurologists, but nobody would do it. And Helen's doctor said ,’I think this is gonna be a race between us getting the approval for the VAD and you dying’” Reg Jebb     Helen and Reg Jebb. photo: Supplied “He was dying. He was suffering. He was begging, begging me the entire day to finish it. Where are they? Kristin? Where are they? Where are they?” Kristin Cornell    Kristin Cornell: “I am so encouraged by the existence of this legislation – but there is more we can do. We can do this better. It shouldn’t be so hard that one is tempted to give up.” Photo: Juliet Lamont    Embed player     Listen            Episode Extra: Doctors Discuss the Unintended Consequences of Victoria's VAD Law Know more  Visit Go Gentle Australia gogentleaustralia.org.au  Article: ‘Assisted dying is not the easy way out’ — The Conversation, 19 Feb 2020 Article: ‘Without more detail, it’s premature to say voluntary assisted dying laws in Victoria are ‘working well’’ — The Conversation, 21 Feb 2020 Article: ‘Heartachingly painful: Allan waited for 100 days before being granted permit to die’ — The Age, 21 June 2020  In this episode In order of appearance: Kristin Cornell, Allan Cornell, Reg Jebb, Betty King, Greg Mewitt, Nola Maxfield, Andrea Bendrups and Nick Carr Better Off Dead season two is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia. Learn more about Go Gentle Australia’s work. Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta, with assistance from Adam RothwellProduction Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) Episode Artwork: Megan HerbertTranscript: Alice BoyleCommissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre) Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan LaserMusic: James Domeyko Special thanks to our interviewees Kristin Cornell and Reg Jebb for their time for this episode. Footage supplied courtesy of Seven Network. All rights reserved. © Listen to Better Off Dead season one here, and subscribe in iTunes, or follow via your favourite podcast app. #BetterOffDeadpod Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you. Tell your story here. Transcript Download a transcript of this episode in PDF format. 

<p>When Victoria’s VAD law was passed in 2017, it was touted by Premier Daniel Andrews as ‘the most conservative in the world’. This was true. Its 68 safeguards made it a far more daunting law for terminally ill people to access than similar laws in other countries. </p><p>But was it too daunting? </p><p>Much was said in parliament by opponents about the law’s ‘unintended consequences’. What if there are wrongful deaths? What if the doctor-patient relationship is damaged? Palliative care diminished?</p><p>None of these fears have turned out to be true. But that doesn’t mean there have been no unintended consequences. They’ve just turned out to be not as opponents argued.</p><p>In this episode, we hear from the families of two eligible Victorians who struggled to access VAD. And we hear something never heard before —-- a father and daughter as they actually go through the process of applying for a VAD permit, a process during which initial gratitude quickly turns to frustration, fear and anger.</p><p>Allan Cornell and his daughter Kristin: photo Supplied</p><blockquote><p>“She wrote numerous letters and made numerous phone calls to, it seemed like, 30 neurologists, but nobody would do it. And Helen's doctor said ,’I think this is gonna be a race between us getting the approval for the VAD and you dying’”</p></blockquote> Reg Jebb     <p>Helen and Reg Jebb. photo: Supplied</p> <blockquote><p>“He was dying. He was suffering. He was begging, begging me the entire day to finish it. Where are they? Kristin? Where are they? Where are they?”</p></blockquote> Kristin Cornell   <h3></h3> <p>Kristin Cornell: “I am so encouraged by the existence of this legislation – but there is more we can do. We can do this better. It shouldn’t be so hard that one is tempted to give up.” Photo: Juliet Lamont</p> <h3></h3>   Embed<em> player</em>     Listen            <h3>Episode Extra: Doctors Discuss the Unintended Consequences of Victoria's VAD Law</h3> <h3>Know more</h3> <ul> <li>Visit Go Gentle Australia <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gogentleaustralia.org.au</a> </li> <li>Article: <a href="https://theconversation.com/assisted-dying-is-not-the-easy-way-out-129424" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Assisted dying is not the easy way out’</a> — The Conversation, 19 Feb 2020</li> <li>Article: <a href="https://theconversation.com/without-more-detail-its-premature-to-say-voluntary-assisted-dying-laws-in-victoria-are-working-well-132096" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Without more detail, it’s premature to say voluntary assisted dying laws in Victoria are ‘working well’’</a> — The Conversation, 21 Feb 2020</li> <li>Article: <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/heart-achingly-painful-allan-waited-for-100-days-before-being-granted-permit-to-die-20200619-p554az.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Heartachingly painful: Allan waited for 100 days before being granted permit to die’</a> — The Age, 21 June 2020</li> </ul> <h3>In this episode</h3> <p>In order of appearance: Kristin Cornell, Allan Cornell, Reg Jebb, Betty King, Greg Mewitt, Nola Maxfield, Andrea Bendrups and Nick Carr</p> <p><em>Better Off Dead </em>season two is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia.</p> <p>Learn more about <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go Gentle Australia’s work</a>.</p> <p>Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta, with assistance from Adam Rothwell<br/>Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)<br/><br/>Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  <br/>Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) <br/>Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Episode Artwork: Megan Herbert<br/>Transcript: Alice Boyle<br/>Commissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan Laser<br/>Music: James Domeyko</p> <p>Special thanks to our interviewees Kristin Cornell and Reg Jebb for their time for this episode.</p> <p>Footage supplied courtesy of Seven Network. All rights reserved. ©</p> <p>Listen to <em>Better Off Dead</em> season one <a href="https://www.wheelercentre.com/broadcasts/podcasts/better-off-dead" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, and subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or follow via your favourite podcast app.</p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#BetterOffDeadpod</a></p> <h3>Your stories</h3> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you. <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/share_your_story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tell your story here.</a></p> <h3>Transcript</h3> <p>Download a transcript of this episode in <a href="https://wheeler-centre-heracles.s3.amazonaws.com/c05/d5e/b9f/c05d5eb9f9b9441c235815c3fa0a520137c4d09f9de6fb18d4e8807c5274/Better%20Off%20Dead%20s02e13%20transcript.docx.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PDF format</a>. </p>

#13 Unintended Consequences

Whether it is through the words of the pope, his representatives the bishops and archbishops, or its surrogates in the medical profession, the Catholic Church remains the most determined force against voluntary assisted dying in Australia.In 2020, The Vatican released its latest encyclical on assisted dying and euthanasia. They called it Samaritanus Bonus – the Good Samaritan – and this is what it had to say about people who seek assistance to die.“Experience confirms that the pleas of gravely ill people who sometimes ask for death are not to be understood as implying a true desire for euthanasia; in fact, it is almost always a case of an anguished plea for help and love.”Requests for assistance to die are ‘not to be understood as a true desire for euthanasia.’ In other words, the people making them are somehow misguided.According to this narrative, people making such requests are likely to be demoralised; lonely; abandoned, feeling like a burden; or struggling to find meaning in – or even giving up on - their lives. And that, with the right kind of love and care, these things can be addressed.In this episode, we hear from some of the most senior figures in Australian palliative care. We also hear from others who have a different understanding of such requests, and who believe that the people who make them can be both considered and rational.Professor Michael Ashby Photo: SuppliedPalliative care clinician Molly Carlile AM: “It has to be about why are we doing this. Who is it for? If it's about us, we have to ask: how does our view on a whole lot of things influence our practice?” photo: Supplied “It is not the role of any healthcare team to suggest that its ministrations can give meaning, purpose and dignity to a dying person’s remaining life if that person feels that these are irretrievably lost... Palliative care is a model of care, not a moral crusade.” Professor Michael Ashby   Know more  Visit: Go Gentle Australia gogentleaustralia.org.au  Video: Assad, Assisted Dying and Satire – ABC TV Q&amp;A, 10 April 2017 Video: Q&amp;A with the Archbishop - How do I explain the Catholic Church's teaching on euthanasia? – The Catholic Leader YouTube, 14 July 2014 Video: Experienced Victorian doctors warn Tasmania on dangerous bill – Australian Care Alliance, 9 September 2020 Video: Prof David Kissane: Euthanasia is terrible for medicine &amp; society  – Life, Marriage and Family Office 23 June, 2017 Article: Defending the indefensible? Psychiatry, assisted suicide and human freedom – Profesor Malcolm Parker, International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, Volume 36, issues 5-6 2013  In this episode (in order of appearance) Ron Fellows, Margaret Somerville, Patricia Fellows, Megan Best, Mark Coleridge, Jean Caliste, Jacqui Hicks, Nicole Robertson, Deb M, Katie Harley, Kristin Cornell, Peter Jones, Ron Poole, Fiona McClure, Phillip Parente, Peter Lange, Betty King, Michael Dooley, Anthony Fisher, Stephen Parnis, Michael Ashby, Natasha Michael, David Kissane, Malcolm Parker, Roger Hunt, Molly Carlile, Greg Mewett, Shayne Higson, Alex Broom, Kit Denton, Peter Abetz,  Credits Better Off Dead season two is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia  Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta, with assistance from Adam Rothwell Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) Episode Artwork: Megan HerbertTranscript: Alice BoyleCommissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre)Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan LaserMusic: Simon Kindt, Aaron Gleeson, and Joe Lodge Special thanks to our interviewees Michael Ashby, Roger Hunt, Malcolm Parker and Molly Carlile for their time for this episode.Footage supplied courtesy of Seven Network. All rights reserved. © Listen to Better Off Dead season one here, and subscribe in iTunes, or follow via your favourite podcast app. #BetterOffDeadpod Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with voluntary assisted dying, we would love to hear from you. Tell your story here. Transcript Download a transcript of this episode in PDF format. 

<p>Whether it is through the words of the pope, his representatives the bishops and archbishops, or its surrogates in the medical profession, the Catholic Church remains the most determined force against voluntary assisted dying in Australia.</p><p>In 2020, The Vatican released its latest encyclical on assisted dying and euthanasia. They called it <em>Samaritanus Bonus</em> – the Good Samaritan – and this is what it had to say about people who seek assistance to die.</p><blockquote><p>“Experience confirms that the pleas of gravely ill people who sometimes ask for death are not to be understood as implying a true desire for euthanasia; in fact, it is almost always a case of an anguished plea for help and love.”</p></blockquote><p>Requests for assistance to die are<em> ‘not to be understood as a true desire for euthanasia.’</em> In other words, the people making them are somehow misguided.</p><p>According to this narrative, people making such requests are likely to be demoralised; lonely; abandoned, feeling like a burden; or struggling to find meaning in – or even <em>giving up on</em> - their lives. And that, with the right kind of love and care, these things can be addressed.</p><p>In this episode, we hear from some of the most senior figures in Australian palliative care. We also hear from others who have a different understanding of such requests, and who believe that the people who make them can be both considered and rational.</p><p>Professor Michael Ashby Photo: Supplied</p><p>Palliative care clinician Molly Carlile AM: “It has to be about why are we doing this. Who is it for? If it's about us, we have to ask: how does our view on a whole lot of things influence our practice?” photo: Supplied</p><p> </p><blockquote><p>“It is not the role of any healthcare team to suggest that its ministrations can give meaning, purpose and dignity to a dying person’s remaining life if that person feels that these are irretrievably lost... Palliative care is a model of care, not a moral crusade.”</p></blockquote> Professor Michael Ashby   <h3>Know more</h3> <ul> <li>Visit: Go Gentle Australia <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gogentleaustralia.org.au</a></li> <li> Video: <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/qanda/assad-assisted-suicide-and-satire/10651262" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Assad, Assisted Dying and Satire</a> – ABC TV Q&amp;A, 10 April 2017</li> <li>Video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp;v=RS5KSA3-m7o" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Q&amp;A with the Archbishop - How do I explain the Catholic Church's teaching on euthanasia?</a> – The Catholic Leader YouTube, 14 July 2014</li> <li>Video: <a href="https://www.australiancarealliance.org.au/experienced_victorian_doctors_warn_tasmania_on_dangerous_bill" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Experienced Victorian doctors warn Tasmania on dangerous bill</a> – Australian Care Alliance, 9 September 2020</li> <li>Video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp;v=wlkV7D1iASg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Prof David Kissane: Euthanasia is terrible for medicine &amp; society </a> – Life, Marriage and Family Office 23 June, 2017</li> <li>Article: <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160252713000617?via%3Dihub" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Defending the indefensible? Psychiatry, assisted suicide and human freedom</a> – Profesor Malcolm Parker, International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, Volume 36, issues 5-6 2013</li> </ul> <h3>In this episode (in order of appearance)</h3> <p>Ron Fellows, Margaret Somerville, Patricia Fellows, Megan Best, Mark Coleridge, Jean Caliste, Jacqui Hicks, Nicole Robertson, Deb M, Katie Harley, Kristin Cornell, Peter Jones, Ron Poole, Fiona McClure, Phillip Parente, Peter Lange, Betty King, Michael Dooley, Anthony Fisher, Stephen Parnis, Michael Ashby, Natasha Michael, David Kissane, Malcolm Parker, Roger Hunt, Molly Carlile, Greg Mewett, Shayne Higson, Alex Broom, Kit Denton, Peter Abetz, </p> <h3>Credits</h3> <p><em>Better Off Dead</em> season two is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia </p> <p>Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta, with assistance from Adam Rothwell <br/>Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)<br/><br/>Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  <br/>Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) <br/>Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Episode Artwork: Megan Herbert<br/>Transcript: Alice Boyle<br/>Commissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre)<br/>Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan Laser<br/>Music: Simon Kindt, Aaron Gleeson, and Joe Lodge</p> <p>Special thanks to our interviewees Michael Ashby, Roger Hunt, Malcolm Parker and Molly Carlile for their time for this episode.<br/><br/>Footage supplied courtesy of Seven Network. All rights reserved. ©<br/></p> <p>Listen to <em>Better Off Dead</em> season one <a href="https://www.wheelercentre.com/broadcasts/podcasts/better-off-dead" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, and subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or follow via your favourite podcast app.</p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#BetterOffDeadpod</a></p> <h3>Your stories</h3> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with voluntary assisted dying, we would love to hear from you. <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/share_your_story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tell your story here</a>.</p> <h3>Transcript</h3> <p>Download a transcript of this episode in <a href="https://wheeler-centre-heracles.s3.amazonaws.com/b5d/fe9/074/b5dfe9074ccf06a23ce842df19bfcdca7e05a95bf694e00eff04723fda08/Better%20Off%20Dead%20s02e12%20transcript(Steve%20Offner%E2%80%99s%20copy%20May%2019%20235645).docx.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PDF format</a>. </p>

#12 A Cry For Help

The assisted dying debate in Australia has revealed two parallel universes. The conservative Christian universe, which believes our lives belong to God; that whatever happens at the end of life is part of His plan. And the other universe – embracing 75% of Australians (including a majority of Christians) – with a shared belief we should have some control over how we die.Two different, but both entirely sincere, belief systems.What happens when these parallel universes intersect? What can it mean to die in a system where you are disempowered, and whose values you don’t share?Dame Cicely Saunders Photo: Wikimedia CommonsShayne Higson (second left), pictured with her sisters and their mother Jan (farthest right) who died of brain cancer: 'I thought that [with] terminal sedation … there would be no suffering, but that's not right' — Photo: supplied“What people don't realise is that they're entering an environment with particular values, and a history about what is okay, or not okay, and the nature of suffering. And by entering into that the patient and the family is almost embarking on an unwritten contract – that death will be not on my terms, but on the terms of the institution” Professor Alex Broom   Know more  Visit Go Gentle Australia gogentleaustralia.org.au  Article: We do not like to talk about death -- but that doesn’t make euthanasia the answer -- Richard Chye, The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 November, 2017 Article: Assisted dying: My mother had the best palliative care -- and even that was not enough -- Shayne Higson, The Sydney Morning Herald, 15 November, 2017 Audio: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (part 1) -- Megan Best, The Centre for Public Christianity, 24 June, 2013 Film: ‘The Broken Hearted’ Go Gentle Australia, August 2019  Jan K: 'You might think you're going to have great palliative care, but it is an absolute lottery. You can scream the place down if you want but, if they think that you're comfortable, that's it.' Photo: Joshua Raymond  In this episode In order of appearance:  Katie Harley, Megan Best, Alex Broom, Richard Chye, Shayne Higson, Roger Hunt, Jan K. Credits Better Off Dead season two is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia  Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre) Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) Commissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre) Episode Artwork: Megan HerbertTranscript: Alice BoyleTheme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan LaserMusic: Aaron Gleeson Special thanks to our interviewees Shayne Higson, Alex Broom, Roger Hunt and Jan K for their time for this episode.Footage supplied courtesy of Seven Network. All rights reserved. © Listen to Better Off Dead season one here, and subscribe in iTunes, or follow via your favourite podcast app. #BetterOffDeadpod Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you. Tell your story here. Transcript Download a transcript of this episode in PDF format. 

<p>The assisted dying debate in Australia has revealed two parallel universes. The conservative Christian universe, which believes our lives belong to God; that whatever happens at the end of life is part of His plan. And the other universe – embracing 75% of Australians (including a majority of Christians) – with a shared belief we should have some control over how we die.</p><p>Two different, but both entirely sincere, belief systems.</p><p>What happens when these parallel universes intersect? What can it mean to die in a system where you are disempowered, and whose values you don’t share?</p><p>Dame Cicely Saunders Photo: Wikimedia Commons</p><p>Shayne Higson (second left), pictured with her sisters and their mother Jan (farthest right) who died of brain cancer: 'I thought that [with] terminal sedation … there would be no suffering, but that's not right' — Photo: supplied</p><blockquote><p>“What people don't realise is that they're entering an environment with particular values, and a history about what is okay, or not okay, and the nature of suffering. And by entering into that the patient and the family is almost embarking on an unwritten contract – that death will be not on my terms, but on the terms of the institution”</p></blockquote> Professor Alex Broom   <h3>Know more</h3> <ul> <li>Visit Go Gentle Australia <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gogentleaustralia.org.au</a></li> <li> Article: <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/we-do-not-like-to-talk-about-death--but-that-doesnt-make-euthanasia-the-answer-20171113-gzkmn4.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">We do not like to talk about death -- but that doesn’t make euthanasia the answer</a> -- Richard Chye, The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 November, 2017</li> <li>Article: <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/assisted-dying-my-mother-had-the-best-palliative-care--and-even-that-was-not-enough-20171115-gzln3m.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Assisted dying: My mother had the best palliative care -- and even that was not enough</a> -- Shayne Higson, The Sydney Morning Herald, 15 November, 2017</li> <li>Audio: <a href="https://www.publicchristianity.org/fearfully-and-wonderfully-made/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (part 1)</a> -- Megan Best, The Centre for Public Christianity, 24 June, 2013</li> <li>Film: <a href="https://thebrokenhearted.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘The Broken Hearted’</a> Go Gentle Australia, August 2019</li> </ul> <p>Jan K: 'You might think you're going to have great palliative care, but it is an absolute lottery. You can scream the place down if you want but, if they think that you're comfortable, that's it.' Photo: Joshua Raymond </p> <h3>In this episode</h3> <p>In order of appearance: </p> <p>Katie Harley, Megan Best, Alex Broom, Richard Chye, Shayne Higson, Roger Hunt, Jan K.</p> <h3>Credits</h3> <p><em>Better Off Dead </em>season two is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia </p> <p>Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta <br/>Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)<br/></p> <p>Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  <br/>Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) <br/>Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Commissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Episode Artwork: Megan Herbert<br/>Transcript: Alice Boyle<br/>Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan Laser<br/>Music: Aaron Gleeson</p> <p>Special thanks to our interviewees Shayne Higson, Alex Broom, Roger Hunt and Jan K for their time for this episode.<br/><br/>Footage supplied courtesy of Seven Network. All rights reserved. ©</p> <p>Listen to Better Off Dead season one <a href="https://www.wheelercentre.com/broadcasts/podcasts/better-off-dead" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, and subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or follow via your favourite podcast app.</p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#BetterOffDeadpod</a></p> <h3>Your stories</h3> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you. <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/share_your_story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tell your story here</a>.</p> <h3>Transcript</h3> <p>Download a transcript of this episode in <a href="https://wheeler-centre-heracles.s3.amazonaws.com/e2c/78c/547/e2c78c54704ec3429ceba4bbac15730142090a350812c1ee44bdde85c2ce/Better%20Off%20Dead%20s02e11%20transcript.docx.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PDF format</a>. <a href="https://wheeler-centre-heracles.s3.amazonaws.com/041/110/f7d/041110f7d8ec9c81ce8ca595cc4fd66e046bad9230c7ec1ae071b60ac6a6/Better%20Off%20Dead%20s02e11%20transcript.docx.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><br/></a></p>

#11 The End of Life Lottery

At the heart of the political debate around voluntary assisted dying lies palliative care. On one side sits the argument that it can effectively deal with all pain and suffering, and that it should be made available to everyone before Assisted Dying is made legal.On the other, a recognition that – for all its benefits – palliative care cannot help everyone, and that those beyond its help should not be left to suffer, or – as some do – take their own lives.But beyond the political debate, within palliative care lies a much deeper argument. One about values.Palliative care’s background is as a provider of Christian care; more than half of Australia’s palliative care is supplied by The Catholic Church. According to The Vatican, assisting someone to die is ‘intrinsically evil.’By papal decree, any request by a person for help to end their life is not to be taken as genuine, but is to be understood instead as ‘an anguished plea for help and love.’But some palliative care clinicians have a different set of values. They see that their primary purpose is to act in response to what their patient wants and needs. It’s called person-centred care, a way of practising medicine that has been thrown into the sharpest focus imaginable by a law allowing doctors to help their patients to die.Palliative care clinician, and death and dying expert Molly Carlile AM. Photo: supplied ‘The bottom line for me is, you can choose whether you want to stop having chemo or anything else that you consider as futile treatment. And we are the defenders of those people. So how can we say, in the same breath, “Yes, you can make your choices, so long as it's not voluntary assisted dying?”’ Palliative care clinician, Molly Carlile AM   For more  Visit Go Gentle Australia gogentleaustralia.org.au  Video: Clive Deverall talk Freedom of Choice WA Launch – YouTube, 5 February 2017 Article: Everyone Has the Right to Die Well – Molly Carlile, November 10, 2015 Brochure: To Love to the End – Life, Marriage and Family Office, The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, 2011   Dr Greg Mewett. ‘It's not for me to say how much someone's suffering and whether we can do more. It should be up to the individual.’ Photo: Juliet Lamont In this episode In order of appearance Jaala Pulford, Molly Carlile, Greg Mewett, Michael Ashby, Roger Hunt, Andrew Sloane, Anthony Fisher, Megan Best, John Flader, Tim Harris, Natasha Michael, Stephen Parnis, Jane Morris, Clive Deverall, Lisa Hogg, Alex Broom, Jan Kelly  Credits Better Off Dead season two is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia  Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta, with assistance from Adam Rothwell Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) Episode Artwork: Megan HerbertTranscript: Alice BoyleCommissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre)Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan LaserMusic: Jon Murphy, Brendan John Warner, Simon Kindt, Aaron Gleeson Special thanks to our interviewees Molly Carlile, Greg Mewett, Michael Ashby and Roger Hunt for their time for this episode. Footage supplied courtesy of Seven Network. All rights reserved. © Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you. Tell your story here. Subscribe via iTunes or your favourite podcast app. #betteroffdeadpod Transcript  Download a transcript of this episode in PDF format. 

<p>At the heart of the political debate around voluntary assisted dying lies palliative care. On one side sits the argument that it can effectively deal with all pain and suffering, and that it should be made available to everyone before Assisted Dying is made legal.</p><p>On the other, a recognition that – for all its benefits – palliative care cannot help everyone, and that those beyond its help should not be left to suffer, or – as some do – take their own lives.</p><p>But beyond the political debate, within palliative care lies a much deeper argument. One about values.</p><p>Palliative care’s background is as a provider of Christian care; more than half of Australia’s palliative care is supplied by The Catholic Church. According to The Vatican, assisting someone to die is ‘intrinsically evil.’</p><p>By papal decree, any request by a person for help to end their life is not to be taken as genuine, but is to be understood instead as ‘an anguished plea for help and love.’</p><p>But some palliative care clinicians have a different set of values. They see that their primary purpose is to act in response to what their patient wants and needs. </p><p>It’s called person-centred care, a way of practising medicine that has been thrown into the sharpest focus imaginable by a law allowing doctors to help their patients to die.</p><p>Palliative care clinician, and death and dying expert Molly Carlile AM. Photo: supplied</p><p> </p><blockquote><p>‘The bottom line for me is, you can choose whether you want to stop having chemo or anything else that you consider as futile treatment. And we are the defenders of those people. So how can we say, in the same breath, “Yes, you can make your choices, so long as it's not voluntary assisted dying?”’</p></blockquote> Palliative care clinician, Molly Carlile AM   <h3>For more</h3> <ul> <li>Visit Go Gentle Australia <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gogentleaustralia.org.au</a> </li> <li>Video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp;v=3vY_zN8e1fA&amp;feature=emb_title" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Clive Deverall talk Freedom of Choice WA Launch</a> – YouTube, 5 February 2017</li> <li>Article: <a href="http://www.conversationsaboutdeath.com.au/everyone-has-the-right-to-die-well/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Everyone Has the Right to Die Well</a> – Molly Carlile, November 10, 2015</li> <li>Brochure: <a href="https://www.cam1.org.au/Portals/9/Respect%20Life%20Sunday%202011%20Brochure.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">To Love to the End</a> – Life, Marriage and Family Office, The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, 2011</li> </ul> <h3></h3> <p>Dr Greg Mewett. ‘It's not for me to say how much someone's suffering and whether we can do more. It should be up to the individual.’ Photo: Juliet Lamont</p> <h3>In this episode</h3> <p>In order of appearance</p> <p>Jaala Pulford, Molly Carlile, Greg Mewett, Michael Ashby, Roger Hunt, Andrew Sloane, Anthony Fisher, Megan Best, John Flader, Tim Harris, Natasha Michael, Stephen Parnis, Jane Morris, Clive Deverall, Lisa Hogg, Alex Broom, Jan Kelly </p> <h3>Credits</h3> <p><em>Better Off Dead </em>season two is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia <br/></p> <p>Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta, with assistance from Adam Rothwell <br/>Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)<br/><br/>Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  <br/>Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) <br/>Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Episode Artwork: Megan Herbert<br/>Transcript: Alice Boyle<br/>Commissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre)<br/>Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan Laser<br/>Music: Jon Murphy, Brendan John Warner, Simon Kindt, Aaron Gleeson</p> <p>Special thanks to our interviewees Molly Carlile, Greg Mewett, Michael Ashby and Roger Hunt for their time for this episode.</p> <p>Footage supplied courtesy of Seven Network. All rights reserved. ©</p> <h3>Your stories</h3> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you. <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/share_your_story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tell your story here</a>.</p> <p>Subscribe via <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a> or your favourite podcast app.</p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#betteroffdeadpod</a></p> <h3>Transcript </h3> <p>Download a transcript of this episode in <a href="https://wheeler-centre-heracles.s3.amazonaws.com/214/27d/c00/21427dc0041eed04e4c8f1d6d55a4b500dd2501338ef05ad9287eb0241c6/Better%20Off%20Dead%20s02e10%20transcript.docx.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PDF format</a>. </p>

#10 We Who Walk Towards Death

In September 2020, as Tasmania’s Upper House prepared to debate an Assisted Dying bill, an article appeared on the online publication Mercatornet. Above a picture showing a graph of a flatlining heartbeat superimposed over an elderly hand was a headline in big, bold letters:‘Grandma took her life yesterday. Her doctors helped her.’The article described a lonely, elderly woman, seemingly abandoned by her family in a Melbourne nursing home during COVID, encouraged by her doctors to end her life using Victoria’s Assisted Dying law.Photo: the image used by Mercatornet Within days, it was being promoted by religious groups and The Australian Family Association as a warning to MPs about why they should vote down the Tasmanian bill. In this episode, we reveal the truth behind that story. Who was Grandma? Had her family really abandoned her? Was her decision to die her own, or was she encouraged?  And what was it that connected the crusading author and the website that gave her story a global platform?‘Just to get out of bed, you could tell she was in pain... she was really struggling. My brother said, ‘God, if Mum could have that medicine tomorrow, she would take it.’ Everybody was understanding because we all knew what she'd been through and didn't want her to go through that again. ‘Ruth’s’ daughter ‘Jane’   For more  Visit Go Gentle Australia gogentleaustralia.org.au  Audio: Neil Mitchell clashes with former Catholic priest over protest outside Peter Mac Cancer Centre – 3AW Newstalk, 11 April 2019 Video: Fatal Fraud: A case study of tactics employed against evidence-based public policy initiatives – Go Gentle Australia, August 2019 Article: Code of Ethical Standards for Catholic Health and Aged Care Service in Australia – Catholic Health Australia, June 2001  Medical and Biblical Response to Euthanasia -- Dr Megan Best and Dr Andrew Sloane – Christian Medical and Dental fellowship of Australia, 2019  In this episode  In order of appearance:  Neil Mitchell, Eugene Ahern, ‘Bronwyn’, ‘Jane’, Tom Kenyon, Helen Lord, Leon Compton, Megan Best, Andrew Sloane, Tom Keneally, Stephen Parnis, Roger Hunt, Greg Mewett, Molly Carlile Credits Better Off Dead season two is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia  Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta, with assistance from Adam Rothwell Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) Episode Artwork: Megan HerbertTranscript: Alice BoyleCommissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre)Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’ written and performed by Jordan LaserMusic: Brendan John Warner, James Domeyko, Simon Kindt, Michael Cusack Special thanks to interviewees ‘Jane’ and her family and Thomas Keneally for their time for this episode. Footage supplied courtesy of Seven Network. All rights reserved. © Listen to Better Off Dead season one here, subscribe in iTunes, or via your favourite podcast app. #BetterOffDeadpod Your Stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you. Tell your story here. Transcript Download a transcript of this episode in PDF format. 

<p>In September 2020, as Tasmania’s Upper House prepared to debate an Assisted Dying bill, an article appeared on the online publication Mercatornet. Above a picture showing a graph of a flatlining heartbeat superimposed over an elderly hand was a headline in big, bold letters:</p><p><em>‘Grandma took her life yesterday. Her doctors helped her.’</em></p><p>The article described a lonely, elderly woman, seemingly abandoned by her family in a Melbourne nursing home during COVID, encouraged by her doctors to end her life using Victoria’s Assisted Dying law.</p><p>Photo: the image used by Mercatornet </p><p>Within days, it was being promoted by religious groups and The Australian Family Association as a warning to MPs about why they should vote down the Tasmanian bill. </p><p>In this episode, we reveal the truth behind that story. Who was Grandma? Had her family really abandoned her? Was her decision to die her own, or was she encouraged?  </p><p>And what was it that connected the crusading author and the website that gave her story a global platform?</p><blockquote><p>‘Just to get out of bed, you could tell she was in pain... she was really struggling. My brother said, ‘God, if Mum could have that medicine tomorrow, she would take it.’ Everybody was understanding because we all knew what she'd been through and didn't want her to go through that again.</p></blockquote> ‘Ruth’s’ daughter ‘Jane’   <h3>For more</h3> <ul> <li>Visit Go Gentle Australia <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gogentleaustralia.org.au</a></li> <li> Audio: <a href="https://www.3aw.com.au/neil-mitchell-clashes-with-former-catholic-priest-over-protest-outside-peter-mac-cancer-centre/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Neil Mitchell clashes with former Catholic priest over protest outside Peter Mac Cancer Centre</a> – 3AW Newstalk, 11 April 2019</li> <li>Video: <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/fatal_fraud" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fatal Fraud: A case study of tactics employed against evidence-based public policy initiatives</a> – Go Gentle Australia, August 2019</li> <li>Article: <a href="https://www.cha.org.au/images/resources/Code%20of%20ethics-full%20copy.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Code of Ethical Standards for Catholic Health and Aged Care Service in Australia</a> – Catholic Health Australia, June 2001</li> <li> <a href="https://www.cmdfa.org.au/recordings/end-of-life-care" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Medical and Biblical Response to Euthanasia -- Dr Megan Best and Dr Andrew Sloane</a> – Christian Medical and Dental fellowship of Australia, 2019</li> </ul> <h3>In this episode </h3> <p>In order of appearance: </p> <p>Neil Mitchell, Eugene Ahern, ‘Bronwyn’, ‘Jane’, Tom Kenyon, Helen Lord, Leon Compton, Megan Best, Andrew Sloane, Tom Keneally, Stephen Parnis, Roger Hunt, Greg Mewett, Molly Carlile</p> <h3>Credits</h3> <p><em>Better Off Dead</em> season two is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia </p> <p>Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta, with assistance from Adam Rothwell <br/>Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)<br/><br/>Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  <br/>Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) <br/>Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Episode Artwork: Megan Herbert<br/>Transcript: Alice Boyle<br/>Commissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre)<br/>Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’ written and performed by Jordan Laser<br/>Music: Brendan John Warner, James Domeyko, Simon Kindt, Michael Cusack</p> <p>Special thanks to interviewees ‘Jane’ and her family and Thomas Keneally for their time for this episode.</p> <p>Footage supplied courtesy of Seven Network. All rights reserved. ©</p> <p>Listen to Better Off Dead season one <a href="https://www.wheelercentre.com/broadcasts/podcasts/better-off-dead" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or via your favourite podcast app.</p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#BetterOffDeadpod</a></p> <h3>Your Stories</h3> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you. <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/share_your_story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tell your story here</a>.</p> <h3>Transcript</h3> <p>Download a transcript of this episode in <a href="https://wheeler-centre-heracles.s3.amazonaws.com/330/1eb/50e/3301eb50eafa2e00e8a7aeceb6a4fd4634acf619138992bd2863ca16e71d/Better%20Off%20Dead%20s02e09%20transcript.docx.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PDF format</a>. <a href="http://wheeler-centre-heracles.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/processed/96/78298cd7a3474c804a435f961c9bc9/9678298cd7a3474c804a435f961c9bc9_original.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><br/></a></p>

#9 The Light Under the Bushel

The key word in Victoria’s voluntary assisted dying law is the first one: ‘voluntary’. By law, any doctor, nurse, or other health professional who conscientiously objects can choose not to participate in a person’s request for voluntary assisted dying.But how does an institution balance its employees legal right to conscientiously object with its obligation to care for its patients?Colin M, champion swimmer. “They were just playing in the waves. And he got dumped in one of those freak accidents and he knew straight away that he'd had a catastrophic injury.” -- Photo:  SuppliedIn this episode, we meet Colin, a former champion swimmer and  professor of philosophy who is dying and who has applied for the legal right to end his own life. Colin lives by the ancient Roman philosophy of Stoicism. This is what the Stoic Marcus Aurelius had to say about death: ‘Accept death in a cheerful spirit, as nothing but the dissolution of the elements from which each living thing is composed’. For a Stoic, it is good to “choose to die well while you can”.Colin is living in a Catholic nursing home. They have a very different philosophy about death and dying. To a staunch Catholic, choosing to end your life early is to “to take the place of God in deciding the moment of death”.What happens when these two ancient philosophies meet in one Melbourne nursing home?And when does ‘conscientious objection’ become ‘conscientious obstruction’?Sister Debra, niece Gabrielle, and nephew Elliot with Colin. “One of the most honourable people I think I've ever met.”-- Photo: Supplied“I don't understand how people can think that that's a good or an ethical thing to do to someone, like physically and emotionally to put people through that suffering” Colin’s sister, Debra    Stoic Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius: ““Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one” -- Photo: Shutterstock For more   Visit Go Gentle Australia gogentleaustralia.org.au   Letter to Mercy Health, Go Gentle Australia, 15 January 2021   Response from Mercy Health, 7 February 2021   Article: ‘George Pell, Our Man in Rome’, – The Good Weekend Magazine, 26 February 2019   Article: ‘Stoicism in a time of pandemic: how Marcus Aurelius can help’ – The Guardian 25 April 2020   In this episode (in order of appearance):Deb M, Andrea Bendrups, Elliot D, John Stanton, Mark Coleridge, Peter Lange Credits Better Off Dead is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia. Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta, with assistance from Adam Rothwell Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) Episode Artwork: Megan HerbertCommissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre)Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan LaserMusic: James Domeyko, Aaron Gleeson  Special thanks to the family and medical carers of Colin M for their time for this episode.  Your stories  If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you. Tell your story here. Subscribe in iTunes, or your favourite podcast app. #betteroffdeadpod Transcript  Download a transcript of this episode in PDF format.

<p>The key word in Victoria’s voluntary assisted dying law is the first one: ‘voluntary’. By law, any doctor, nurse, or other health professional who conscientiously objects can choose not to participate in a person’s request for voluntary assisted dying.</p><p>But how does an institution balance its employees legal right to conscientiously object with its obligation to care for its patients?</p><p>Colin M, champion swimmer. “They were just playing in the waves. And he got dumped in one of those freak accidents and he knew straight away that he'd had a catastrophic injury.” -- Photo:  Supplied</p><p>In this episode, we meet Colin, a former champion swimmer and  professor of philosophy who is dying and who has applied for the legal right to end his own life. Colin lives by the ancient Roman philosophy of Stoicism. This is what the Stoic Marcus Aurelius had to say about death: ‘Accept death in a cheerful spirit, as nothing but the dissolution of the elements from which each living thing is composed’. For a Stoic, it is good to <em>“choose to die well while you can”.</em></p><p>Colin is living in a Catholic nursing home. They have a very different philosophy about death and dying. To a staunch Catholic, choosing to end your life early is to <em>“to take the place of God in deciding the moment of death”.</em></p><p>What happens when these two ancient philosophies meet in one Melbourne nursing home?</p><p>And when does ‘conscientious objection’ become ‘conscientious obstruction’?</p><p>Sister Debra, niece Gabrielle, and nephew Elliot with Colin. “One of the most honourable people I think I've ever met.”-- Photo: Supplied</p><blockquote><p>“I don't understand how people can think that that's a good or an ethical thing to do to someone, like physically and emotionally to put people through that suffering”</p></blockquote> Colin’s sister, Debra   <h3></h3> <p>Stoic Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius: ““Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one” -- Photo: Shutterstock</p> <h3>For more</h3> <ul> <li> <p>Visit Go Gentle Australia <a>gogentleaustralia.org.au</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/gogentleaustralia/pages/2281/attachments/original/1620002960/2021-01-15_Letter_to_Ms_Trimboli_-_WEB.pdf?1620002960" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Letter to Mercy Health</a>, Go Gentle Australia, 15 January 2021</p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/gogentleaustralia/pages/2281/attachments/original/1617163864/Response_from_Mercy_Health_Go_Gentle_Australia_letter_-_07022021.pdf?1617163864" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Response from Mercy Health</a>, 7 February 2021</p> </li> <li> <p>Article: <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/from-the-archives-george-pell-our-man-in-rome-20190226-p510d4.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘George Pell, Our Man in Rome’</a>, – The Good Weekend Magazine, 26 February 2019</p> </li> <li> <p>Article: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/apr/25/stoicism-in-a-time-of-pandemic-coronavirus-marcus-aurelius-the-meditations" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Stoicism in a time of pandemic: how Marcus Aurelius can help’</a> – The Guardian 25 April 2020</p> </li> </ul> <p>In this episode (in order of appearance):<br/>Deb M, Andrea Bendrups, Elliot D, John Stanton, Mark Coleridge, Peter Lange</p> <h3>Credits</h3> <p><em>Better Off Dead</em> is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia.<br/></p> <p>Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta, with assistance from Adam Rothwell <br/>Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)<br/><br/>Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  <br/>Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) <br/>Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Episode Artwork: Megan Herbert<br/>Commissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre)<br/>Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan Laser<br/>Music: James Domeyko, Aaron Gleeson </p> <p>Special thanks to the family and medical carers of Colin M for their time for this episode.</p> <h3> Your stories </h3> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you. <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/share_your_story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tell your story here.</a></p> <p>Subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or your favourite podcast app. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#betteroffdeadpod</a></p> <h3>Transcript </h3> <p>Download a transcript of this episode in <a href="https://wheeler-centre-heracles.s3.amazonaws.com/a54/d96/39e/a54d9639efbac0e0bb3fcc7eb76ef94d1b1157b08f249e9c082803682c2a/Better%20Off%20Dead%20-%20episode%208%20transcript.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PDF format</a>.</p>

#8 The Good Samaritan

There are many firsts in Betty King’s life. First female prosecutor for the state of Victoria. First female prosecutor for the Commonwealth of Australia. First female silk in Victoria. Now another – first Chair of Victoria’s Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board.Reporting to parliament, the Board oversees the processes of the law with its 68 safeguards, ensuring that doctors adhere to the rules, and that the people seeking assistance to die are competent and not being coerced.Of all the doubts raised by MPs in the parliamentary debate about assisted dying, none was more frequent than the fear that a vulnerable person may be coerced to their death by heartless relatives through the VAD law. In this episode, we meet Betty – the “Guardian of the Safeguards’ – as well as doctors, palliative care physicians, pharmacists, VAD Care Navigators, and families of those who have been through the process to find out whether any of those fears have turned out to be true.And we discover there is another, unwritten safeguard:  To take this path, you have to have enormous courage.The Hon. Betty King QC, Chair of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board speaking on the panel at the Wheeler Centre's Last Words: Voluntary Assisted Dying event - Photo: Tiffany Garvie “It's not an easy process. But neither it should be. This is the ending of a life. And it ought to be treated in a serious manner. Because it's a serious thing to do.” Betty King   Know More  Visit Go Gentle Australia gogentleaustralia.org.au  Article: ‘Interview with Justice Betty King’ Young Lawyers Journal, Law Institute of Victoria, 2010  Article: ‘King’s court: A one-off judge calls time’ – The Age, 9 July 2015  Article and interview: ‘Twelve months of voluntary assisted dying in Victoria’ – The Conversation Hour, ABC Radio National, 15 June 2020  Article: 'We're on the right side of history': Victoria’s assisted dying laws come into effect for terminally ill – The Age, 19 June 2019  In this episode (in order of appearance): Betty King, Stephen Parnis, John Daffy, John Stanton, Nola Maxfield, David Speakman, Susan D, Melanie D, Katie Harley, Andrea Bendrups, Greg Mewett, Nick Carr, Phillip Parente, Cameron McLaren, Peter Lange, Kristin Cornell, Lisa Hogg, Reg Jebb, Jean Caliste, Nicole Robertson, Jon Faine, Jacqui Hicks, Michael Dooley, Molly Carlile Credits Better Off Dead is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia. Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta, with assistance from Adam Rothwell Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) Episode Artwork: Megan HerbertCommissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre)Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan LaserMusic: Aaron Gleeson, Martin Peralta Special thanks to our interviewee Betty King for her time for this episode. Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you. Tell your story here. Subscribe in iTunes, or your favourite podcast app. #betteroffdeadpod Transcript Download a transcript of this episode in PDF format.

<p>There are many firsts in Betty King’s life. First female prosecutor for the state of Victoria. First female prosecutor for the Commonwealth of Australia. First female silk in Victoria. Now another – first Chair of Victoria’s Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board.</p><p>Reporting to parliament, the Board oversees the processes of the law with its 68 safeguards, ensuring that doctors adhere to the rules, and that the people seeking assistance to die are competent and not being coerced.</p><p>Of all the doubts raised by MPs in the parliamentary debate about assisted dying, none was more frequent than the fear that a vulnerable person may be coerced to their death by heartless relatives through the VAD law. </p><p>In this episode, we meet Betty – the “Guardian of the Safeguards’ – as well as doctors, palliative care physicians, pharmacists, VAD Care Navigators, and families of those who have been through the process to find out whether any of those fears have turned out to be true.</p><p>And we discover there is another, unwritten safeguard:  To take this path, you have to have enormous courage.</p><p>The Hon. Betty King QC, Chair of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board speaking on the panel at the Wheeler Centre's Last Words: Voluntary Assisted Dying event - Photo: Tiffany Garvie</p><p> </p><blockquote><p>“It's not an easy process. But neither it should be. This is the ending of a life. And it ought to be treated in a serious manner. Because it's a serious thing to do.”</p></blockquote> Betty King   <h3>Know More</h3> <ul> <li>Visit Go Gentle Australia <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gogentleaustralia.org.au </a></li> <li>Article: <a href="https://www.liv.asn.au/getattachment/LIV-Young-Lawyers/Publications-Resources/Interview-with-Justice-Betty-King--YLJ-Issue-44-Autumn-2010(pdf).pdf.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Interview with Justice Betty King’</a> Young Lawyers Journal, Law Institute of Victoria, 2010 </li> <li>Article: <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/kings-court--a-oneoff-judge-calls-time-20150709-gi8c4o.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘King’s court: A one-off judge calls time’</a> – The Age, 9 July 2015 </li> <li>Article and interview: <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radio/melbourne/programs/theconversationhour/the-conversation-hour/12333910" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Twelve months of voluntary assisted dying in Victoria’</a> – The Conversation Hour, ABC Radio National, 15 June 2020 </li> <li>Article: <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/we-re-on-the-right-side-of-history-victoria-s-assisted-dying-laws-come-into-effect-for-terminally-ill-20190619-p51z5x.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'We're on the right side of history': Victoria’s assisted dying laws come into effect for terminally ill</a> – The Age, 19 June 2019</li> </ul> <p>In this episode (in order of appearance):</p> <p>Betty King, Stephen Parnis, John Daffy, John Stanton, Nola Maxfield, David Speakman, Susan D, Melanie D, Katie Harley, Andrea Bendrups, Greg Mewett, Nick Carr, Phillip Parente, Cameron McLaren, Peter Lange, Kristin Cornell, Lisa Hogg, Reg Jebb, Jean Caliste, Nicole Robertson, Jon Faine, Jacqui Hicks, Michael Dooley, Molly Carlile</p> <h3>Credits</h3> <p><em>Better Off Dead</em> is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia.<br/><br/></p> <p>Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta, with assistance from Adam Rothwell <br/>Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)<br/><br/>Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  <br/>Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) <br/>Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Episode Artwork: Megan Herbert<br/>Commissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre)<br/>Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan Laser<br/>Music: Aaron Gleeson, Martin Peralta</p> <p>Special thanks to our interviewee Betty King for her time for this episode.<br/></p> <h3>Your stories</h3> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you. <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/share_your_story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tell your story here</a>.</p> <p>Subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or your favourite podcast app. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#betteroffdeadpod</a></p> <h3>Transcript</h3> <p>Download a transcript of this episode in <a href="https://wheeler-centre-heracles.s3.amazonaws.com/1d4/e24/6cd/1d4e246cd1997b431d7792d7722ab7faa7df4567a04a91dca5541d8f4b27/Better%20Off%20Dead%20s02e07%20transcript.docx.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PDF format</a>.<a href="https://wheeler-centre-heracles.s3.amazonaws.com/1d4/e24/6cd/1d4e246cd1997b431d7792d7722ab7faa7df4567a04a91dca5541d8f4b27/Better%20Off%20Dead%20s02e07%20transcript.docx.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><strong><br/></strong></a></p>

#7 The ‘C’ Word

Imagine turning up to work one day to discover flyers outside your office accusing you of being a ‘death peddler’ and an ‘Uber service for poison’.Professor Michael Dooley runs Victoria’s Statewide Pharmacy Service. When voluntary assisted dying became legal it was his job, and that of his team, to come up with medication that would effectively and painlessly end a terminally ill person’s life - and also a way to safely get it to them.Statewide pharmacists Prof Michael Dooley (right) and  David Seymour. “We've told them very, very clearly that if they take that medication, it will kill them. Saying that the first time to someone sitting two feet in front of you is probably the hardest part.” - Photo: Juliet LamontMichael and his team are the last step – and the final safeguard – in the long legal process a dying person has to go through to access the medication.What is it like to walk into someone’s home to give them a draught designed to end their life? Who do they meet and what do they hear? And what happens if, at this very last step, they have to tell someone, ‘I’m sorry, but no.’?“We find leaving very, very difficult. Because you have to say goodbye... and we've all talked about how we do it… And there's no easy way and we all have our own little way. You know, it's not a normal goodbye.” Professor Michael Dooley    Nicole Robertson and Jacqui Hicks, with a photo of their mum Kerry Roberston. - Photo: Kristian Silva, ABC Melbourne  The Locked Box. - Photo: Supplied Know More  Visit Go Gentle Australia gogentleaustralia.org.au   Article: ‘Lethal medication sourced for Victoria’s voluntary euthanasia scheme’ – The Age, 4 January 2019 Article: ‘Bendigo woman becomes first to use Victoria's Voluntary Assisted Dying law’ -- Go Gentle Australia, 4 August 2019 Audio: ‘Daughters' emotional tribute to Kerry Robertson, Victoria's first person to use voluntary euthanasia laws’ – ABC Melbourne Mornings with Jon Faine, 5 August 2019 Article: ‘Voluntary euthanasia to begin in Victoria as assisted dying laws take effect this week’ – ABC News, 16 June 2019  In this episode (in order of appearance): Kristin Cornell, Michael Dooley, Nicole Robertson, Debra M, Kristin Cornell, Jacqui Hicks, Jon Faine, Jean Caliste, Katie Harley, Liz Le Noble, Jason McKey Credits Better Off Dead is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia.Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta, with assistance from Adam Rothwell Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre) Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media)Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre)Episode Artwork: Megan HerbertCommissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre)Music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan LaserMusic: Jon Murphy, Aaron Gleeson, Brendon John Warner, Simon Kindt Special thanks to our interviewee Michael Dooley for his time for this episode. Footage supplied courtesy of Seven Network. All rights reserved. © Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you.  Tell your story here. Subscribe in iTunes, or your favourite podcast app.  #betteroffdeadpod Transcript Download a transcript of this episode in PDF format. 

<p>Imagine turning up to work one day to discover flyers outside your office accusing you of being a ‘death peddler’ and an ‘Uber service for poison’.</p><p>Professor Michael Dooley runs Victoria’s Statewide Pharmacy Service. When voluntary assisted dying became legal it was his job, and that of his team, to come up with medication that would effectively and painlessly end a terminally ill person’s life - and also a way to safely get it to them.</p><p>Statewide pharmacists Prof Michael Dooley (right) and  David Seymour. “We've told them very, very clearly that if they take that medication, it will kill them. Saying that the first time to someone sitting two feet in front of you is probably the hardest part.” - Photo: Juliet Lamont</p><p>Michael and his team are the last step – and the final safeguard – in the long legal process a dying person has to go through to access the medication.</p><p>What is it like to walk into someone’s home to give them a draught designed to end their life? Who do they meet and what do they hear? And what happens if, at this very last step, they have to tell someone, ‘I’m sorry, but no.’?</p><blockquote><p>“We find leaving very, very difficult. Because you have to say goodbye... and we've all talked about how we do it… And there's no easy way and we all have our own little way. You know, it's not a normal goodbye.”</p></blockquote> Professor Michael Dooley   <h3></h3> <p>Nicole Robertson and Jacqui Hicks, with a photo of their mum Kerry Roberston. - Photo: Kristian Silva, ABC Melbourne</p> <h3></h3> <p>The Locked Box. - Photo: Supplied</p> <h3>Know More</h3> <ul> <li>Visit Go Gentle Australia <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gogentleaustralia.org.au </a> </li> <li>Article: <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/lethal-medication-sourced-for-victoria-s-voluntary-euthanasia-scheme-20190104-p50pnl.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Lethal medication sourced for Victoria’s voluntary euthanasia scheme’</a> – The Age, 4 January 2019</li> <li>Article: <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/the_first_to_use_voluntary_assisted_dying_law" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Bendigo woman becomes first to use Victoria's Voluntary Assisted Dying law’</a> -- Go Gentle Australia, 4 August 2019</li> <li>Audio: <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radio/melbourne/programs/mornings/voluntary-assisted-dying-legislation-used-for-the-first-time/11383022" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Daughters' emotional tribute to Kerry Robertson, Victoria's first person to use voluntary euthanasia laws’</a> – ABC Melbourne Mornings with Jon Faine, 5 August 2019</li> <li>Article: <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-16/voluntary-assisted-dying-starts-in-victoria/11207712" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Voluntary euthanasia to begin in Victoria as assisted dying laws take effect this week’</a> – ABC News, 16 June 2019</li> </ul> <p>In this episode (in order of appearance):</p> <p>Kristin Cornell, Michael Dooley, Nicole Robertson, Debra M, Kristin Cornell, Jacqui Hicks, Jon Faine, Jean Caliste, Katie Harley, Liz Le Noble, Jason McKey</p> <h3><br/>Credits</h3> <p><em>Better Off Dead</em> is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia.<br/><br/>Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta, with assistance from Adam Rothwell <br/>Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)<br/></p> <p>Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)<br/>Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media)<br/>Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre)<br/>Episode Artwork: Megan Herbert<br/>Commissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre)<br/>Music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan Laser<br/>Music: Jon Murphy, Aaron Gleeson, Brendon John Warner, Simon Kindt</p> <p>Special thanks to our interviewee Michael Dooley for his time for this episode.</p> <p>Footage supplied courtesy of Seven Network. All rights reserved. ©</p> <h3>Your stories</h3> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – or if you’ve had an experience with Voluntary Assisted Dying, we would love to hear from you.  Tell your story <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/share_your_story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <p>Subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or your favourite podcast app. </p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#betteroffdeadpod</a></p> <h3>Transcript</h3> <p>Download a transcript of this episode in <a href="https://wheeler-centre-heracles.s3.amazonaws.com/b37/db5/606/b37db56068f9e01585c60720830d2d319d16fbc39e4a037032825d8114f4/Better%20Off%20Dead%20s02e06%20transcript.docx.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PDF format</a>. </p>

#6 The Locked Box 

So much was said during Victoria’s parliamentary debate about the people who would choose voluntary assisted dying, were it to be made legal.That they could not possibly know their own minds.“I do not believe that an individual who is facing such enormous pressure and stress is capable of making a decision to end their own life.” Nat Suleyman, MP   That the burden of possessing life-ending medication would be too much for them. “If I was in that situation, I would probably think about it every hour — ‘Will I take it now? Will I take it tomorrow? Will I take it after I’ve watched my favourite TV show?”  Luke O’Sullivan, MLC   That they would be pushed into ending their lives by hard-hearted relatives. “Sometimes the relatives might … be wanting to encourage the person to take their medicine — take their poison, I should say.” Neil Angus, MP   Or that they should never even need to make such a choice, because palliative care could alleviate all their pain and suffering.  “Advances in palliative care medicine have been prodigious, to the point where well-managed cases under best practice palliative care can eliminate physical pain and discomfort.” Robert Clark, MP   Why don’t we just let these people speak for themselves? Meet Ron Poole, Fiona McClure, and Peter Jones, three Victorians from very different backgrounds in the final stages of a terminal illness and facing potentially brutal deaths. Ron Poole, 77 and his beloved dog Bobby. “ The thing that got me was people saying how brave I am! I’m not being brave. Bravery doesn’t come into it. ” - Photo: Juliet Lamont Peter ‘Frankie’ Jones. “My daughter’s going to lose someone she loves very much, as I am. That’s my biggest fear...” - Photo: Juliet Lamont Each has exhausted treatment options and been offered expert palliative care. Each has chosen to complete the VAD assessment and has in their possession life-ending medication that they can choose to take – or not – when the time is right. Buoyed by the peace of mind of knowing they have an option to end their suffering if it becomes too great, all are determined to live what remains of their life to the full and say their goodbyes in the best way they know how. Fiona McClure, 67 and her partner Wim Wansink: “I've been very impressed with the whole process. Everyone has been kind, knowledgeable, respectful, able to discuss the options. There was no sense of urgency.” - Photo: Juliet Lamont “I'd like to go out in a pretty dress with a pretty pink lipstick, and having just had a latte with a girlfriend. And I’m still looking forward to that glass of champagne after I take the draught. French champagne.” Fiona McClure, metastatic stomach cancer   Know More  Visit Go Gentle Australia gogentleaustralia.org.au  Website: Doctors For Assisted Dying Choice, respecting rational patient end-of-life choices   Article: ‘Reasons for Requesting Physician-Assisted Suicide’ -- Angela Morrow RN, VeryWellhealth, 23 March 2020 E-book: ‘Beyond Pain: Why more resources for palliative care alone will not address the need for Voluntary Assisted Dying’ - Go Gentle Australia, Nov 2019  In this episode (in order of appearance): Ron Poole,  Fiona McClure, Wim Wansink, Peter Jones   Better Off Dead season two is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia  Learn more about  Go Gentle Australia’s work Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) Episode Transcript: Alice Boyle Commissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre)Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan LaserEpisode Artwork: Megan Herbert Music: James Domeyko, Aaron Gleeson, Alex Gow, Martin Peralta Special thanks to our interviewees Ron Poole, Fiona McClure, Wim Wansink and Peter Jones for giving up their precious time for these interviews. Since recording this episode, Peter and Ron have died. Our thoughts are with their loved ones. Listen to Better Off Dead season one here, and subscribe in iTunes, or follow via your favourite podcast app. #BetterOffDeadpod Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and tell your story here. Transcript Download a transcript of this episode in PDF format. 

<p>So much was said during Victoria’s parliamentary debate about the people who would choose voluntary assisted dying, were it to be made legal.</p><p>That they could not possibly know their own minds.</p><blockquote><p>“I do not believe that an individual who is facing such enormous pressure and stress is capable of making a decision to end their own life.”</p></blockquote> Nat Suleyman, MP   <p>That the burden of possessing life-ending medication would be too much for them.</p> <blockquote><p>“If I was in that situation, I would probably think about it every hour — ‘Will I take it now? Will I take it tomorrow? Will I take it after I’ve watched my favourite TV show?” </p></blockquote> Luke O’Sullivan, MLC   <p>That they would be pushed into ending their lives by hard-hearted relatives.</p> <blockquote><p>“Sometimes the relatives might … be wanting to encourage the person to take their medicine — take their poison, I should say.”</p></blockquote> Neil Angus, MP   <p>Or that they should never even need to make such a choice, because palliative care could alleviate all their pain and suffering.</p> <blockquote><p> “Advances in palliative care medicine have been prodigious, to the point where well-managed cases under best practice palliative care can eliminate physical pain and discomfort.”</p></blockquote> Robert Clark, MP   <p>Why don’t we just let these people speak for themselves?</p> <p>Meet Ron Poole, Fiona McClure, and Peter Jones, three Victorians from very different backgrounds in the final stages of a terminal illness and facing potentially brutal deaths.</p> <p>Ron Poole, 77 and his beloved dog Bobby. “ The thing that got me was people saying how brave I am! I’m not being brave. Bravery doesn’t come into it. ” - Photo: Juliet Lamont</p> <p>Peter ‘Frankie’ Jones. “My daughter’s going to lose someone she loves very much, as I am. That’s my biggest fear...” - Photo: Juliet Lamont</p> <p>Each has exhausted treatment options and been offered expert palliative care. Each has chosen to complete the VAD assessment and has in their possession life-ending medication that they can choose to take – or not – when the time is right.</p> <p>Buoyed by the peace of mind of knowing they have an option to end their suffering if it becomes too great, all are determined to live what remains of their life to the full and say their goodbyes in the best way they know how.</p> <p>Fiona McClure, 67 and her partner Wim Wansink: “I've been very impressed with the whole process. Everyone has been kind, knowledgeable, respectful, able to discuss the options. There was no sense of urgency.” - Photo: Juliet Lamont</p> <blockquote><p>“I'd like to go out in a pretty dress with a pretty pink lipstick, and having just had a latte with a girlfriend. And I’m still looking forward to that glass of champagne after I take the draught. French champagne.”</p></blockquote> Fiona McClure, metastatic stomach cancer   <h3>Know More</h3> <ul> <li>Visit Go Gentle Australia <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gogentleaustralia.org.au</a></li> <li> Website: <a href="http://drs4assisteddyingchoice.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Doctors For Assisted Dying Choice, respecting rational patient end-of-life choices </a> </li> <li>Article: <a href="https://www.verywellhealth.com/reasons-for-seeking-physician-assisted-suicide-1132378" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Reasons for Requesting Physician-Assisted Suicide’</a> -- Angela Morrow RN, VeryWellhealth, 23 March 2020</li> <li>E-book: <a href="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/gogentleaustralia/pages/1707/attachments/original/1617163055/GGA_Beyond_Pain.pdf?1617163055" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘Beyond Pain: Why more resources for palliative care alone will not address the need for Voluntary Assisted Dying’</a> - Go Gentle Australia, Nov 2019</li> </ul> <p>In this episode (in order of appearance): Ron Poole,  Fiona McClure, Wim Wansink, Peter Jones</p> <p> </p> <p>Better Off Dead season two is produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia </p> <p>Learn more about  <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go Gentle Australia’s work</a></p> <p>Writer, Co-Producer and Host: Andrew Denton (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Series Co-Producer and Script Editor: Bethany Atkinson-Quinton (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Associate Producers: Kiki Paul and Steve Offner (Go Gentle Australia) <br/>Audio Editor and Engineer: Martin Peralta <br/>Production Assistant: Alex Gow (The Wheeler Centre)<br/><br/>Marketing: Emily Harms (The Wheeler Centre), Steve Offner and Frankie Bennett (Go Gentle Australia)  <br/>Publicity: Debbie McInnes (DMCPR Media) <br/>Episode Pages: Mia McAuslan (The Wheeler Centre) <br/>Episode Transcript: Alice Boyle <br/>Commissioning Editors: Kiki Paul (Go Gentle Australia) and Caro Llewellyn (The Wheeler Centre)<br/>Theme music: ‘Loydie’s Angel’, written and performed by Jordan Laser<br/>Episode Artwork: Megan Herbert</p> <p>Music: James Domeyko, Aaron Gleeson, Alex Gow, Martin Peralta</p> <p><em>Special thanks to our interviewees Ron Poole, Fiona McClure, Wim Wansink and Peter Jones for giving up their precious time for these interviews. Since recording this episode, Peter and Ron have died. Our thoughts are with their loved ones.</em></p> <p>Listen to Better Off Dead season one <a href="https://www.wheelercentre.com/broadcasts/podcasts/better-off-dead" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, and subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or follow via your favourite podcast app.</p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#BetterOffDeadpod</a></p> <h3>Your stories</h3> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and tell your story <a href="https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/share_your_story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <h3>Transcript</h3> <p>Download a transcript of this episode in <a href="https://wheeler-centre-heracles.s3.amazonaws.com/b37/8ff/6c4/b378ff6c4ad8dc5ea32d07d812a3e417110d82b43acb6af3fbe6131159d9/Better%20Off%20Dead%20s02e05%20transcript.docx.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PDF format</a>. </p>

#5 I Choose Not to Suffer 

Andrew Denton investigates the stories, moral arguments and individuals woven into discussions about why good people are dying bad deaths in Australia.

This series is a long form deep dive into the many perspectives on euthanasia. Denton draws his own conclusions on the topic towards the end but the series gives a lot of fair space for other points of view.  It really does justice to such a complex, heart wrenching and fundamental question of human rights (what ever your perspective). After listening to the whole series I felt deeply a sense of the loss, love and tensions that lie just beneath  the surface but often not aired . Denton is in a league of his own for his ability to tie together so many poignant experiences and lines of thought into such a narrative. I’m genuinely a better person for listening.

Thoughtful, poignant, illuminating

This is an important topic and it’s handled with a supreme touch by Andrew Denton. Even though he shares his own views up-front, he manages to stay dispassionate and open-minded throughout his journey. I really hope they sort out voluntary euthanasia laws before it’s my turn to shuffle off - hopefully this podcast will be a step in the right direction.

Amazing and so well put-together

Better Off Dead

Liz is a dynamic 48 year-old businesswoman who’s dying of cancer. She wants to have a choice about how she dies because she’s been through palliative care. In her words: ‘They can’t control your pain, let me tell you. I’ve been there.’ Liz in her apartment with some of the equipment needed to test the lethal, and illegal, drug Nembutal — Photo: Andrew Denton  Illegally importing Nembutal requires a lengthy process of testing to verify its purity. These photos, taken at Liz's house, depict some of that process – which took six hours in total — Photos: Andrew Denton Liz’s first plan was to apply to the Dignitas Clinic in Switzerland, the only country in the world that will legally help terminally ill people from other countries to die. But she’s rebuffed by her specialist – who refuses to support her application on the basis that ‘it will mean that I’ve failed at my job.’ In Australia, there is no law for assisted dying, which means that Liz’s only other option, if she wants to have any say over her fate, is to live – and die – outside the law. Plan B involves illegally importing the lethal drug Nembutal. Beyond the arduous testing process – and the ever-present fear of the police knocking on her door – Liz is now faced with the terrible calculus of dying. Does she try and hang on till her son’s wedding, and run the risk that she will suffer the death she fears? Or does she say goodbye to everything she loves, and take Nembutal? And, if she does, how can she do that without incriminating her family? What is it like to live in fear that your death may incriminate the ones you love? That the only solution is to die alone? Welcome to Liz’s world. 'I am fearful of that end road to death when you are actively dying. I know they can't control my pain.' Liz   Please note: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the Conversations Matter or beyondblue websites.If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: Lifeline (13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), MensLine (1300 78 99 78), beyondblue (1300 22 4636), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) or eheadspace (1800 650 890).   Know more  Video: 'More Australians importing illegal euthanasia drug' – Lateline, 13 September 2013  In this episode  Liz  Rodney Syme  Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'Paris, Texas' (Ry Cooder), 'Another Routine Day Breaks' (Brokeback), 'Space Kay' (Daniel Lanois), 'Boga' (Amiina), 'Reach for the Dead' (Boards of Canada), 'Good Times' (Jim O'Rourke), 'Up to Pizmo' (Labradford), 'Plastic Energy Man' (Papa M), 'Ten Day Interval' (Tortoise), 'White Mustang II' (Daniel Lanois), 'Moving Thought' (Lori Scacco feat. Tim Delaney) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly). Additional original music and sound design by Jon Tjhia. Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and tell your story here. Further information Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre. Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. This episode was edited and mixed by Jon Tjhia. Thank you Liz and her family, and Rodney Syme. Thanks also to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’. The series Subscribe in iTunes, or your favourite podcast app. #betteroffdeadpod  This episode was first published in preview form in November 2015. A number of small edits and changes have occurred in the interim. Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

<p><strong>Liz is a dynamic 48 year-old businesswoman who’s dying of cancer. She wants to have a choice about how she dies because she’s been through palliative care. In her words: <em>‘They can’t control your pain, let me tell you. I’ve been there.’</em></strong></p> <p>Liz in her apartment with some of the equipment needed to test the lethal, and illegal, drug Nembutal — Photo: Andrew Denton</p> <a href="https://wheeler-centre-heracles.s3.amazonaws.com/wheeler-centre/assets/73/813ab0d33311e599aeb16a44106f5e/Better-Off-Dead-Testing-Nembutal-redacted.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> <p>Illegally importing Nembutal requires a lengthy process of testing to verify its purity. These photos, taken at Liz's house, depict some of that process – which took six hours in total — Photos: Andrew Denton</p> <p>Liz’s first plan was to apply to the Dignitas Clinic in Switzerland, the only country in the world that will legally help terminally ill people from other countries to die. But she’s rebuffed by her specialist – who refuses to support her application on the basis that ‘it will mean that I’ve failed at my job.’</p> <p>In Australia, there is no law for assisted dying, which means that Liz’s only other option, if she wants to have any say over her fate, is to live – and die – outside the law.</p> <p>Plan B involves illegally importing the lethal drug Nembutal. Beyond the arduous testing process – and the ever-present fear of the police knocking on her door – Liz is now faced with the terrible calculus of dying.</p> <p>Does she try and hang on till her son’s wedding, and run the risk that she will suffer the death she fears? Or does she say goodbye to everything she loves, and take Nembutal? And, if she does, how can she do that without incriminating her family?</p> <p>What is it like to live in fear that your death may incriminate the ones you love? That the only solution is to die alone?</p> <p>Welcome to Liz’s world.</p> <blockquote><p>'I am fearful of that end road to death when you are actively dying. I know they can't control my pain.'</p></blockquote> Liz   <p><br/></p><p><strong>Please note</strong>: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the <a href="http://www.conversationsmatter.com.au/community-resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conversations Matter</a> or <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> websites.<br/><br/>If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifeline</a> (13 11 14), <a href="https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Suicide Call Back Service</a> (1300 659 467), <a href="https://www.mensline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MensLine</a> (1300 78 99 78), <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> (1300 22 4636), <a href="http://www.kidshelpline.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kids Helpline</a> (1800 55 1800) or <a href="https://www.eheadspace.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eheadspace</a> (1800 650 890).</p> <br/> <h1></h1> <h1>Know more</h1> <ul><br/> <li>Video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nctaGhwYXA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'More Australians importing illegal euthanasia drug'</a> – <em>Lateline</em>, 13 September 2013</li> </ul> <h1>In this episode</h1> <ul><br/> <li>Liz </li> <li>Rodney Syme</li> </ul> <p>Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'Paris, Texas' (Ry Cooder), 'Another Routine Day Breaks' (Brokeback), 'Space Kay' (Daniel Lanois), 'Boga' (Amiina), 'Reach for the Dead' (Boards of Canada), 'Good Times' (Jim O'Rourke), 'Up to Pizmo' (Labradford), 'Plastic Energy Man' (Papa M), 'Ten Day Interval' (Tortoise), 'White Mustang II' (Daniel Lanois), 'Moving Thought' (Lori Scacco feat. Tim Delaney) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly). Additional original music and sound design by Jon Tjhia.</p> <h1>Your stories</h1> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and <a href="/news/better-off-dead-your-stories" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tell your story here</a>.</p> <h1>Further information</h1> <p>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre.</p> <p>Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. This episode was edited and mixed by Jon Tjhia.</p> <h1>Thank you</h1> <p>Liz and her family, and Rodney Syme. Thanks also to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’.</p> <h1>The series</h1> <p>Subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or your favourite podcast app. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#betteroffdeadpod</a></p> <br/> <p><em>This episode was first published in preview form in November 2015. A number of small edits and changes have occurred in the interim.</em></p> <br/>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

#2 How dare you want to end your life: Liz's story

According to Canadian anti-euthanasia campaigner Alex Schadenberg, Melbourne doctor Rodney Syme is a threat to society: a ‘cowboy’ and ‘the worst of the worst’. Why? Because for over a decade now, Syme has been publicly assisting terminally and chronically ill patients to die – despite the threat of jail for doing so. How did a respectable 80-year-old urologist come to be a law-breaking cowboy? Melbourne urologist Rodney Syme — Photo: supplied 'I thought: what is ethical about me being able to end my own suffering but my patients have to go on?' Rodney Syme     Sandra Morris and Albert Leonzini, both featured in this episode — Photo: Emily Sexton It began 40 years ago, with a patient of his who was dying of kidney cancer. Her name was Betty. Syme could hear her screams from the foyer of the hospital. He didn’t know how to help her – but his conscience was pricked. Syme knew that, as a doctor, if he were in the same kind of pain, he could find drugs – or help from other doctors – that would mean he didn’t have to suffer like Betty. He began to wonder: why should he have access to this help, but not his patients? Over the last two decades, Rodney Syme estimates that he’s helped more than 100 people to die. Assisting a suicide carries a maximum five-year jail term in Victoria. But, despite publicly challenging the police to charge him, no charges have yet been laid. In late 2015, on national television, Syme admitted that he had helped Point Lonsdale man Steve Guest to die. He continues to provoke the law in the hope that a new and more compassionate one can be written: one that allows people with unbearable and untreatable suffering to request assistance to die. Please note: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the Conversations Matter or beyondblue websites.If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: Lifeline (13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), MensLine (1300 78 99 78), beyondblue (1300 22 4636), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) or eheadspace (1800 650 890).    Hear more  Embed playerListenBetter Off Dead: Interview with Sandra Morris Through Rodney Syme, Albert Leonzini – dying of motor neurone disease – has obtained the lethal, illegal drug Nembutal, which offers him the opportunity to be in control of how he dies. But for all the peace of mind it offers, it still takes great courage to decide to use it. Albert’s partner of 40 years, Sandra Morris, tells what happened next. Know more  Audio: Steve Guest calls Jon Faine on 774 ABC Melbourne in 2005  Article: 'The speech on dying you were prevented from hearing', by Michael Short (with a transcript of Rodney Syme's speech) – The Age, 26 May 2015  In this episode  Alex Schadenberg Rodney Syme Albert Leonzini Sandra Morris Catherine Glenn Foster  Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'Says' (Nils Frahm), 'Abandon Window' (Jon Hopkins), 'You Know Me Well' (Sharon Van Etten), 'Remedios The Beauty' (Oren Ambarchi), 'Fall Out' (Mount Kimbie), 'Dissolved Girl' (Massive Attack), 'John My Beloved' (Sufjan Stevens) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly). Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and tell your story here. Further information Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre. Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Thank you Thank you to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’. The series Subscribe in iTunes, or your favourite podcast app. #betteroffdeadpod Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

<p><strong>According to Canadian anti-euthanasia campaigner Alex Schadenberg, Melbourne doctor Rodney Syme is a threat to society: a ‘cowboy’ and ‘the worst of the worst’.</strong></p> <p><strong>Why? Because for over a decade now, Syme has been publicly assisting terminally and chronically ill patients to die – despite the threat of jail for doing so.</strong></p> <p><strong>How did a respectable 80-year-old urologist come to be a law-breaking cowboy?</strong></p> <p>Melbourne urologist Rodney Syme — Photo: supplied</p> <blockquote><p>'I thought: what is ethical about me being able to end my own suffering but my patients have to go on?'</p></blockquote> Rodney Syme     <p>Sandra Morris and Albert Leonzini, both featured in this episode — Photo: Emily Sexton</p> <p>It began 40 years ago, with a patient of his who was dying of kidney cancer. Her name was Betty. Syme could hear her screams from the foyer of the hospital. He didn’t know how to help her – but his conscience was pricked.</p> <p>Syme knew that, as a doctor, if he were in the same kind of pain, he could find drugs – or help from other doctors – that would mean he didn’t have to suffer like Betty.</p> <p>He began to wonder: why should he have access to this help, but not his patients?</p> <p>Over the last two decades, Rodney Syme estimates that he’s helped more than 100 people to die. Assisting a suicide carries a maximum five-year jail term in Victoria. But, despite publicly challenging the police to charge him, no charges have yet been laid.</p> <p>In late 2015, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swUH1JWTSD0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">on national television</a>, Syme admitted that he had helped Point Lonsdale man Steve Guest to die.</p> <p>He continues to provoke the law in the hope that a new and more compassionate one can be written: one that allows people with unbearable and untreatable suffering to request assistance to die.</p> <p><br/></p><p><strong>Please note</strong>: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the <a href="http://www.conversationsmatter.com.au/community-resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conversations Matter</a> or <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> websites.<br/><br/>If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifeline</a> (13 11 14), <a href="https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Suicide Call Back Service</a> (1300 659 467), <a href="https://www.mensline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MensLine</a> (1300 78 99 78), <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> (1300 22 4636), <a href="http://www.kidshelpline.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kids Helpline</a> (1800 55 1800) or <a href="https://www.eheadspace.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eheadspace</a> (1800 650 890).</p> <h1></h1> <br/> <h1></h1> <h1>Hear more</h1> <br/> Embed<em> player</em><br>Listen<br><h3>Better Off Dead: Interview with Sandra Morris</h3> <br><p>Through Rodney Syme, Albert Leonzini – dying of motor neurone disease – has obtained the lethal, illegal drug Nembutal, which offers him the opportunity to be in control of how he dies. But for all the peace of mind it offers, it still takes great courage to decide to use it. Albert’s partner of 40 years, Sandra Morris, tells what happened next.</p> <h1>Know more</h1> <ul><br/> <li>Audio: <a href="https://soundcloud.com/774-abc-melbourne/steve-guest-calls-jon-faine-in-2005" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Steve Guest calls Jon Faine on 774 ABC Melbourne in 2005</a><br/> </li> <li>Article: <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-speech-on-dying-you-were-prevented-from-hearing-20150526-gh9ssb.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'The speech on dying you were prevented from hearing'</a>, by Michael Short (with a transcript of Rodney Syme's speech) – <em>The Age</em>, 26 May 2015</li> </ul> <h1>In this episode</h1> <ul><br/> <li>Alex Schadenberg</li> <li>Rodney Syme</li> <li>Albert Leonzini</li> <li>Sandra Morris</li> <li>Catherine Glenn Foster</li> </ul> <p>Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'Says' (Nils Frahm), 'Abandon Window' (Jon Hopkins), 'You Know Me Well' (Sharon Van Etten), 'Remedios The Beauty' (Oren Ambarchi), 'Fall Out' (Mount Kimbie), 'Dissolved Girl' (Massive Attack), 'John My Beloved' (Sufjan Stevens) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly).</p> <h1>Your stories</h1> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and <a href="/news/better-off-dead-your-stories" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tell your story here</a>.</p> <h1>Further information</h1> <p>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre.</p> <p>Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta.</p> <h1>Thank you</h1> <p>Thank you to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’.</p> <h1>The series</h1> <p>Subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or your favourite podcast app. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#betteroffdeadpod</a></p> <br/>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

#3 The 80-year-old outlaw

Opponents of assisted dying in Australia want to leave things as they are, because of the worrying things they claim might happen if we did have a law. But what about the worrying things that actually are happening because we don’t have one? 'They find themselves often initially charged with murder and … I don't think that society needs or requires that.' Former Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions, John Coldrey     Left to right – Cathy Pryor; her mother Anne; her father Peter — Photos: Supplied It is illegal in Australia to aid or abet a suicide, no matter the circumstances. This is, rightly, so that people aren’t encouraged to take their own lives when they are deeply vulnerable, or for someone else’s personal gain. But it doesn’t take into account people like former Tasmanian nurse Cathy Pryor. In the space of six months, Cathy assisted both her grievously ill parents to die. She was charged with, and found guilty, of attempted murder and assisting a suicide. Cathy went to jail until a judge decided that both were clearly acts of compassion, and allowed her to walk free. The record shows Cathy is a convicted criminal. But should she ever have faced trial? According to former Victorian Director Of Public Prosecutions, John Coldrey, it is inappropriate that someone acting out of love should have to go through what Cathy went through. As a judge, Coldrey has himself been faced with similar crimes. He recounts his emotional decision to let Victorian man Alex Maxwell walk free after assisting his cancer-stricken wife to die. In a society when there is no law for assisted dying – but where people are being assisted to die anyway – Coldrey is just one of many who believe that our law around assisted dying needs to be reconsidered. Please note: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the Conversations Matter or beyondblue websites.If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: Lifeline (13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), MensLine (1300 78 99 78), beyondblue (1300 22 4636), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) or eheadspace (1800 650 890).   Hear more  Embed playerListenBetter Off Dead: Interview with Bill and Stuart Godfrey In 2004, Tasmanian man Stuart Godfrey was charged with assisting his mother, Elizabeth, to die. He faced a maximum sentence of 21 years in jail and received a 12 month suspended sentence conditional on good behaviour. Stuart hasn’t spoken publicly since the day he left court. Now, he breaks his silence. Know more  Research sources: Do Australian Doctors Assist Patients to Die?    Article: 'Nurse set to appeal over conviction', by Maria Rae – The Examiner, 20 December 2005 Article: 'Assisted suicide case prompts calls for euthanasia law review' – ABC News, 20 December 2005  Article: 'Police question Nagambie GP over "lethal dose" to help patient die', by Richard Baker and Nick McKenzie – The Age, 18 December 2015 Article: 'Having a choice about how and when my mum died would have provided her with comfort and peace', by Rachel Friend – Daily Telegraph, 15 November 2015 Article: 'Dear Mum, sorry I didn't kill you', by Tracey Spicer – Sydney Morning Herald, 13 June 2013  Video: 'Dangers of Legalized Euthanasia? - Tony Abbott' – FORA.tv, 6 April 2009 Video: 'IQ2 Debate: Should Euthanasia Be Legalized?' – FORA.tv, 2 March 2009  In this episode  Cathy Pryor John Coldrey Coral Levett Rodney Syme Margaret Otlowski Marshall Perron  Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'Hold Me Through' (Luke Howard), 'The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep)' (Sunn O))) and Boris), 'Hand, Be Still' (Olafur Arnalds), 'Dysnomia' (Dawn of Midi), 'We (Too) Shall Rest' (Olafur Arnalds), 'Burial on the Presidio Banks' (This Will Destroy You), 'I Might Be Wrong' (Radiohead), 'Weatherman Accountable' (Big Noble), 'Videotape' (Radiohead) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly). Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and tell your story here. Further information Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre. Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Additional editing by Jon Tjhia. Thank you Thank you to Stanley Street Gallery in Sydney. Thanks also to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’. The series Subscribe in iTunes, or your favourite podcast app. #betteroffdeadpod Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

<p><strong>Opponents of assisted dying in Australia want to leave things as they are, because of the worrying things they claim <em>might</em> happen if we did have a law.</strong></p> <p><strong>But what about the worrying things that actually <em>are</em> happening because we <em>don’t</em> have one?</strong></p> <blockquote><p>'They find themselves often initially charged with murder and … I don't think that society needs or requires that.'</p></blockquote> Former Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions, John Coldrey     <p>Left to right – Cathy Pryor; her mother Anne; her father Peter — Photos: Supplied</p> <p>It is illegal in Australia to aid or abet a suicide, no matter the circumstances. This is, rightly, so that people aren’t encouraged to take their own lives when they are deeply vulnerable, or for someone else’s personal gain.</p> <p>But it doesn’t take into account people like former Tasmanian nurse Cathy Pryor.</p> <p>In the space of six months, Cathy assisted both her grievously ill parents to die. She was charged with, and found guilty, of attempted murder and assisting a suicide. Cathy went to jail until a judge decided that both were clearly acts of compassion, and allowed her to walk free.</p> <p>The record shows Cathy is a convicted criminal. But should she ever have faced trial?</p> <p>According to former Victorian Director Of Public Prosecutions, John Coldrey, it is inappropriate that someone acting out of love should have to go through what Cathy went through.</p> <p>As a judge, Coldrey has himself been faced with similar crimes. He recounts his emotional decision to let Victorian man Alex Maxwell walk free after assisting his cancer-stricken wife to die.</p> <p>In a society when there is no law for assisted dying – but where people are being assisted to die anyway – Coldrey is just one of many who believe that our law around assisted dying needs to be reconsidered.</p> <p><br/></p><p><strong>Please note</strong>: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the <a href="http://www.conversationsmatter.com.au/community-resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conversations Matter</a> or <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> websites.<br/><br/>If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifeline</a> (13 11 14), <a href="https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Suicide Call Back Service</a> (1300 659 467), <a href="https://www.mensline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MensLine</a> (1300 78 99 78), <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> (1300 22 4636), <a href="http://www.kidshelpline.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kids Helpline</a> (1800 55 1800) or <a href="https://www.eheadspace.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eheadspace</a> (1800 650 890).</p> <br/> <h1><br/> <br/>Hear more</h1> <br/> Embed<em> player</em><br>Listen<br><h3>Better Off Dead: Interview with Bill and Stuart Godfrey</h3> <br><p>In 2004, Tasmanian man Stuart Godfrey was charged with assisting his mother, Elizabeth, to die. He faced a maximum sentence of 21 years in jail and received a 12 month suspended sentence conditional on good behaviour. Stuart hasn’t spoken publicly since the day he left court. Now, he breaks his silence.</p> <h1>Know more</h1> <ul><br/> <li>Research sources: <a href="/news/do-australian-doctors-assist-patients-to-die" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Do Australian Doctors Assist Patients to Die?</a><br/> </li> </ul> <ul><br/> <li>Article: <a href="/news/do-australian-doctors-assist-patients-to-die" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Nurse set to appeal over conviction', by Maria Rae – <em>The Examiner</em></a>, 20 December 2005</li> <li>Article: <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-12-20/assisted-suicide-case-prompts-calls-for-euthanasia/765010" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Assisted suicide case prompts calls for euthanasia law review'</a> – <em>ABC News</em>, 20 December 2005<a href="https://soundcloud.com/774-abc-melbourne/steve-guest-calls-jon-faine-in-2005" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><br/></a><br/> </li> <li>Article: <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/national/investigations/police-question-nagambie-gp-over-lethal-dose-to-help-patient-die-20151216-glplxo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Police question Nagambie GP over "lethal dose" to help patient die'</a>, by Richard Baker and Nick McKenzie – <em>The Age</em>, 18 December 2015</li> <li>Article: <a href="http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/rachel-friend-having-a-choice-about-how-and-when-my-mum-died-would-have-provided-her-with-comfort-and-peace/news-story/e0cfc51b9891a8ca91cd5464230cbfaa?=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Having a choice about how and when my mum died would have provided her with comfort and peace'</a>, by Rachel Friend – <em>Daily Telegraph</em>, 15 November 2015</li> <li>Article: <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/comment/dear-mum-sorry-i-didnt-kill-you-20130612-2o4a1.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Dear Mum, sorry I didn't kill you'</a>, by Tracey Spicer – <em>Sydney Morning Herald</em>, 13 June 2013<em><br/></em><br/> </li> <li>Video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpCj4F4aFlw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Dangers of Legalized Euthanasia? - Tony Abbott'</a> – <a href="http://FORA.tv" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FORA.tv</a>, 6 April 2009</li> <li>Video: <a href="http://library.fora.tv/2009/02/03/IQ2_Debate_Should_Euthanasia_Be_Legalized_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'IQ2 Debate: Should Euthanasia Be Legalized?'</a> – <a href="http://FORA.tv" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FORA.tv</a>, 2 March 2009</li> </ul> <h1>In this episode</h1> <ul><br/> <li>Cathy Pryor</li> <li>John Coldrey</li> <li>Coral Levett</li> <li>Rodney Syme</li> <li>Margaret Otlowski</li> <li>Marshall Perron</li> </ul> <p>Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'Hold Me Through' (Luke Howard), 'The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep)' (Sunn O))) and Boris), 'Hand, Be Still' (Olafur Arnalds), 'Dysnomia' (Dawn of Midi), 'We (Too) Shall Rest' (Olafur Arnalds), 'Burial on the Presidio Banks' (This Will Destroy You), 'I Might Be Wrong' (Radiohead), 'Weatherman Accountable' (Big Noble), 'Videotape' (Radiohead) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly).</p> <h1>Your stories</h1> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and <a href="/news/better-off-dead-your-stories" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tell your story here</a>.</p> <h1>Further information</h1> <p>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre.</p> <p>Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Additional editing by Jon Tjhia.</p> <h1>Thank you</h1> <p>Thank you to Stanley Street Gallery in Sydney. Thanks also to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’.</p> <h1>The series</h1> <p>Subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or your favourite podcast app. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#betteroffdeadpod</a></p> <br/>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

#4 It can never be perfect, so why try and improve it?

For those who hold out the Netherlands as a textbook case of a ‘slippery slope’, they see a law originally designed to help the terminally ill – but that has now ‘slipped’ to include those who aren’t. But the Dutch law wasn’t written to deal only with certain diseases; guided by doctors themselves, it was deliberately created for people whose suffering is ‘unbearable and untreatable’. Barbara Heetman: 'My mother had to say totally from her own brain, heart, whatever, ‘I want this."' — Photo: Emily Sexton This might include, for example, people with long-term, corrosive illnesses such as multiple sclerosis or motor neurone disease. In some circumstances, it may even include people with Alzheimer’s. But if the basis of your law is that only a mentally competent adult can request euthanasia, how do you deal with cases where that competence is unclear? Barbara Heetman’s mother, Jeanne, applied to be euthanised before losing herself in the fog of Alzheimer’s. Her request was considered by the End of Life Clinic (Levenseindekliniek) that specialises in complex euthanasia requests. The many steps Jeanne had to go through to prove she was mentally competent provide a powerful demonstration of the care with which Dutch euthanasia law is carried out – and an equally powerful rebuttal of claims of a slippery slope. Gerrit Kimsma: 'We are being transparent and I think we have a good system. We should be proud of it.' — Photo: Emily Sexton 'It is not something doctors like to do; they don’t. If you can get around euthanasia as a doctor, you will do it, because it costs you.' Mariska Koster, a Dutch doctor, describing the impact of being involved in a euthanasia death     Please note: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the Conversations Matter or beyondblue websites.If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: Lifeline (13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), MensLine (1300 78 99 78), beyondblue (1300 22 4636), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) or eheadspace (1800 650 890).  Hear more   Embed playerListenBetter Off Dead: interview with Willie Swildens    Willie Swildens-Rozendaal has chaired the Netherlands’ euthanasia review committees since their inception. Here, she takes you through how they operate, and the safeguards built into the system. Know more   Article: 'Attitudes towards assisted dying' – Economist, 27 June 2015   Article: 'The Last Day of Her Life', by Robin Marantz Henig – New York Times Magazine, 14 May 2015   In this episode  Mariska Koster Theo Boer Steven Pleiter Gerrit Kimsma Eric van Wijlick Barbara Heetman Alex Schadenberg  Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'Four' (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), 'In Utero' (subaske), 'B1' (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), 'Me' (Nils Frahm), 'For' (Nils Frahm), 'L$D' (ASAP Rocky), 'Slow Show' (The National), 'Hands, Be Still' (Ólafur Arnalds) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly). Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and tell your story here. Further information Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre. Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta.  Thank you Thanks to field producer Emily Sexton, and to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’. The series Subscribe in iTunes, or your favourite podcast app. #betteroffdeadpod Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

<p><strong>For those who hold out the Netherlands as a textbook case of a ‘slippery slope’, they see a law originally designed to help the terminally ill – but that has now ‘slipped’ to include those who aren’t. But the Dutch law wasn’t written to deal only with certain diseases; guided by doctors themselves, it was deliberately created for people whose suffering is ‘unbearable and untreatable’.</strong></p> <p>Barbara Heetman: 'My mother had to say totally from her own brain, heart, whatever, ‘I want this."' — Photo: Emily Sexton</p> <p><strong>This might include, for example, people with long-term, corrosive illnesses such as multiple sclerosis or motor neurone disease. In some circumstances, it may even include people with Alzheimer’s.</strong></p> <p><strong>But if the basis of your law is that only a mentally competent adult can request euthanasia, how do you deal with cases where that competence is unclear?</strong></p> <p>Barbara Heetman’s mother, Jeanne, applied to be euthanised before losing herself in the fog of Alzheimer’s. Her request was considered by the End of Life Clinic (Levenseindekliniek) that specialises in complex euthanasia requests.</p> <p>The many steps Jeanne had to go through to prove she was mentally competent provide a powerful demonstration of the care with which Dutch euthanasia law is carried out – and an equally powerful rebuttal of claims of a slippery slope.</p> <p>Gerrit Kimsma: 'We are being transparent and I think we have a good system. We should be proud of it.' — Photo: Emily Sexton</p> <blockquote><p>'It is not something doctors like to do; they don’t. If you can get around euthanasia as a doctor, you will do it, because it costs you.'</p></blockquote> Mariska Koster, a Dutch doctor, describing the impact of being involved in a euthanasia death     <p><br/></p><p><strong>Please note</strong>: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the <a href="http://www.conversationsmatter.com.au/community-resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conversations Matter</a> or <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> websites.<br/><br/>If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifeline</a> (13 11 14), <a href="https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Suicide Call Back Service</a> (1300 659 467), <a href="https://www.mensline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MensLine</a> (1300 78 99 78), <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> (1300 22 4636), <a href="http://www.kidshelpline.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kids Helpline</a> (1800 55 1800) or <a href="https://www.eheadspace.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eheadspace</a> (1800 650 890).</p> <br/> <h1>Hear more</h1> <br/> <br/> Embed<em> player</em><br>Listen<br><h3>Better Off Dead: interview with Willie Swildens</h3> <br><p><br/></p> <br/> <br/> <p>Willie Swildens-Rozendaal has chaired the Netherlands’ euthanasia review committees since their inception. Here, she takes you through how they operate, and the safeguards built into the system.</p> <h1>Know more</h1> <ul><br/> <li><br/> <p>Article: <a href="http://www.economist.com/node/21656121" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Attitudes towards assisted dying'</a> – <em>Economist</em>, 27 June 2015</p> </li> <li><br/> <p>Article: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/17/magazine/the-last-day-of-her-life.html?_r=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'The Last Day of Her Life'</a>, by Robin Marantz Henig – <em>New York Times Magazine</em>, 14 May 2015</p> </li> </ul> <h1>In this episode</h1> <ul><br/> <li>Mariska Koster</li> <li>Theo Boer</li> <li>Steven Pleiter</li> <li>Gerrit Kimsma</li> <li>Eric van Wijlick</li> <li>Barbara Heetman</li> <li>Alex Schadenberg</li> </ul> <p>Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'Four' (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), 'In Utero' (subaske), 'B1' (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), 'Me' (Nils Frahm), 'For' (Nils Frahm), 'L$D' (ASAP Rocky), 'Slow Show' (The National), 'Hands, Be Still' (Ólafur Arnalds) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly).</p> <h1>Your stories</h1> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and <a href="/news/better-off-dead-your-stories" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tell your story here</a>.</p> <h1>Further information</h1> <p>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre.</p> <p>Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. </p> <h1>Thank you</h1> <p>Thanks to field producer Emily Sexton, and to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’.</p> <h1>The series</h1> <p>Subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or your favourite podcast app. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#betteroffdeadpod</a></p> <br/>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

#6 Once you start killing, you can't stop: the Netherlands, part 2

Speaking with doctors in Belgium, the Netherlands and Oregon, I’d learnt that in those places, palliative care and assisted dying are seen as things that go together – and assisting a patient to die may sometimes be the ultimate offer of help for those beyond the skills of even the most dedicated palliative care experts. Spencer Ratcliff had never witnessed such pain as he saw during his partner Deb's final days – pain which palliative care staff were unable to relieve: 'I said, "What are we supposed to do? Just sit and watch her scream herself to death in pain?"' — Photo: Andrew Denton Back home in Australia, the law forbids assisted dying. Without a law to protect or guide doctors and nurses, I wondered: how does palliative care here deal with those same kinds of patients? Richard Chye is the director of palliative care at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney. When I asked him if I could spend a week in his unit to learn what it is they do, I was upfront with him. I told him I believed there should be a law for assisted dying in Australia – not a subject often raised within their walls – and that it would be one of many things I’d like to discuss with him and his team. To my surprise, and to his credit, he agreed. By the end of that week, two things struck me about the doctors and nurses of Sacred Heart. First: their deep commitment to, and compassion towards, their patients. And second: the universal acknowledgement of how hard they found it when a patient was beyond their help. 'I think we do provide dignity and good care, and the majority of the time, symptoms are managed well. But there are occasions when a symptom isn’t controlled, or someone has a rough journey – for whatever reason, you know – and you do think about that.' Nursing unit manager Ken Webb     Please note: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the Conversations Matter or beyondblue websites.If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: Lifeline (13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), MensLine (1300 78 99 78), beyondblue (1300 22 4636), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) or eheadspace (1800 650 890).   Hear more  Embed playerListenBetter Off Dead: Interview with Alex Broom Alex Broom, Professor at Sociology at the University of NSW, spent six months embedded in a Catholic hospice. His was the first study in Australia to explore patients’ views on assisted dying.  What he got was a unique insight into the gulf that exists between many patients’ expressed wish for help to die, and the response they receive. Know more   Article: 'The speech on dying you were prevented from hearing', by Michael Short – Sydney Morning Herald, 26 May 2015  Article: 'OPINION: Time to act on medically assisted dying', by Brian Winship – Newcastle Herald, 19 June 2015  Blog post: 'Denton lacks understanding of dying process – a social worker’s perspective', by Elissa Campbell – Palliverse, 13 November 2015  Video: 'Even the best palliative care can't always help' – Dying For Choice, 19 September 2013  In this episode  Nancy Fran Nam Therese Compton Ken Webb Philip Redelman Spencer Ratcliff  Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes '23:17' (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), 'In the Deep Shade' (The Frames), 'We're All Leaving' (Arcade Fire), 'They Move on Tracks of Never-Ending Light' (This Will Destroy You), 'Black Sands' (Bonobo), 'Petra' (Blue Dot Sessions), 'All of Me Wants All of You' (Sufjan Stevens), 'Says' (Nils Frahm) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly). Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and tell your story here. Further information Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre. Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Head of Marketing and Communications Emily Harms, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Additional editing by Jon Tjhia. Thank you Thanks to Stanley Street Gallery, and to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’. The series Subscribe in iTunes, or your favourite podcast app. #betteroffdeadpod Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

<p><strong>Speaking with doctors in Belgium, the Netherlands and Oregon, I’d learnt that in those places, palliative care and assisted dying are seen as things that go together – and assisting a patient to die may sometimes be the ultimate offer of help for those beyond the skills of even the most dedicated palliative care experts.</strong></p> <p>Spencer Ratcliff had never witnessed such pain as he saw during his partner Deb's final days – pain which palliative care staff were unable to relieve: 'I said, "What are we supposed to do? Just sit and watch her scream herself to death in pain?"' — Photo: Andrew Denton</p> <p><strong>Back home in Australia, the law forbids assisted dying. Without a law to protect or guide doctors and nurses, I wondered: how does palliative care here deal with those same kinds of patients?</strong></p> <p>Richard Chye is the director of palliative care at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney. When I asked him if I could spend a week in his unit to learn what it is they do, I was upfront with him. I told him I believed there should be a law for assisted dying in Australia – not a subject often raised within their walls – and that it would be one of many things I’d like to discuss with him and his team.</p> <p>To my surprise, and to his credit, he agreed.</p> <p>By the end of that week, two things struck me about the doctors and nurses of Sacred Heart. First: their deep commitment to, and compassion towards, their patients. And second: the universal acknowledgement of how hard they found it when a patient was beyond their help.</p> <blockquote><p>'I think we do provide dignity and good care, and the majority of the time, symptoms are managed well. But there are occasions when a symptom isn’t controlled, or someone has a rough journey – for whatever reason, you know – and you do think about that.'</p></blockquote> Nursing unit manager Ken Webb     <p><br/></p><p><strong>Please note</strong>: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the <a href="http://www.conversationsmatter.com.au/community-resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conversations Matter</a> or <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> websites.<br/><br/>If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifeline</a> (13 11 14), <a href="https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Suicide Call Back Service</a> (1300 659 467), <a href="https://www.mensline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MensLine</a> (1300 78 99 78), <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> (1300 22 4636), <a href="http://www.kidshelpline.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kids Helpline</a> (1800 55 1800) or <a href="https://www.eheadspace.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eheadspace</a> (1800 650 890).</p> <h1></h1> <br/> <h1>Hear more</h1> <br/> Embed<em> player</em><br>Listen<br><h3>Better Off Dead: Interview with Alex Broom</h3> <br><p>Alex Broom, Professor at Sociology at the University of NSW, spent six months embedded in a Catholic hospice. His was the first study in Australia to explore patients’ views on assisted dying. </p> <p>What he got was a unique insight into the gulf that exists between many patients’ expressed wish for help to die, and the response they receive.</p> <h1>Know more</h1> <ul><br/> <li><br/> <p>Article: <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-speech-on-dying-you-were-prevented-from-hearing-20150526-gh9ssb.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'The speech on dying you were prevented from hearing'</a>, by Michael Short – <em>Sydney Morning Herald</em>, 26 May 2015</p> </li> <li>Article: <a href="http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3158294/opinion-time-to-act-on-medically-assisted-dying/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'OPINION: Time to act on medically assisted dying'</a>, by Brian Winship – <em>Newcastle Herald</em>, 19 June 2015</li> <li><br/> <p>Blog post: <a href="http://palliverse.com/2015/11/13/denton-lacks-understanding-of-dying-process-a-social-workers-perspective/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Denton lacks understanding of dying process – a social worker’s perspective'</a>, by Elissa Campbell – Palliverse, 13 November 2015</p> </li> <li>Video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC7N7OkAZTU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Even the best palliative care can't always help'</a> – Dying For Choice, 19 September 2013</li> </ul> <h1>In this episode</h1> <ul><br/> <li>Nancy</li> <li>Fran</li> <li>Nam</li> <li>Therese Compton</li> <li>Ken Webb</li> <li>Philip Redelman</li> <li>Spencer Ratcliff</li> </ul> <p>Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes '23:17' (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), 'In the Deep Shade' (The Frames), 'We're All Leaving' (Arcade Fire), 'They Move on Tracks of Never-Ending Light' (This Will Destroy You), 'Black Sands' (Bonobo), 'Petra' (Blue Dot Sessions), 'All of Me Wants All of You' (Sufjan Stevens), 'Says' (Nils Frahm) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly).</p> <h1>Your stories</h1> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and <a href="/news/better-off-dead-your-stories" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tell your story here</a>.</p> <h1>Further information</h1> <p>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre.</p> <p>Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Head of Marketing and Communications Emily Harms, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Additional editing by Jon Tjhia.</p> <h1>Thank you</h1> <p>Thanks to Stanley Street Gallery, and to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’.</p> <h1>The series</h1> <p>Subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or your favourite podcast app. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#betteroffdeadpod</a></p> <br/>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

#10 Neither hasten nor prolong death: palliative care in Australia, part 1

The Netherlands’ euthanasia laws are the longest-running in Europe. Surprisingly, the drive to create them didn’t come from politicians; it came from doctors. Recognising that, like doctors in many countries (including our own), they were already assisting people to die, they pushed for a law that would bring the practice into the light – protecting both them and their patients. The Hoffman sisters, interviewed in this episode — Photo: Emily Sexton In Australia, we hear lots of dark things about the slippery slope the Dutch are sliding down. Critics suggest that their euthanasia laws have spawned a system of legalised killing that is now running out of control. But what we never hear are the voices of the Dutch themselves. So I decided to go there to find out, first hand, how this system works – and if it really is out of control. After all, this is a country where euthanasia not only has support across the political spectrum and from all the major medical bodies – but also has one of the highest levels of public approval in the world. Perhaps there’s more to these laws than we’ve been told? 'It only lasted five minutes, but when I think back about it, it feels like a whole life – because we had this humour and this pure love feeling in the house. And I know for sure, and I can say with a hand on my heart, this is exactly how mother wants this.' Marian Hoffman – describing the euthanasia of her mother, Gret, who was dying of cancer     Eric van Wijlick and Andrew Denton — Photo: Emily Sexton Please note: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the Conversations Matter or beyondblue websites.If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: Lifeline (13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), MensLine (1300 78 99 78), beyondblue (1300 22 4636), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) or eheadspace (1800 650 890).  Hear more  Embed playerListenBetter Off Dead: interview with Rob Jonquière The Dutch Right To Die Organisation, known locally as the NVVE, is 160,000 members strong – bigger than any political party in the Netherlands. They are essentially the patient’s advocates, advising them about their end of life choices and arguing for their rights under the law. Listen to former NVVE chief executive (and at the time of this interview, their interim director), Rob Jonquière. Know more   Article: 'The Right to Die' – The Economist, 27 June 2015   Article: 'Euthanasia on the rise in Netherlands', by Xavier Symons – BioEdge, 10 October 2015  Article: 'The Last Days of Annie Bus: A Chronicle of Dutch Euthanasia', by Laura Höflinger – Der Spiegel, 4 February 2015  In this episode  Alex Schadenberg Theo Boer Henk Reitsema Susan Hoffman Marian Hoffman Eric van Wijlick Gerrit Kimsma  Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'I Might be Wrong' (Radiohead), 'Life Story' (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), 'Loftið Verður Skyndilega Kalt' (Ólafur Arnalds), 'Says' (Nils Frahm) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly). Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and tell your story here. Further information Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre. Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Additional editing by Camilla Hannan.  Thank you Thanks to field producer Emily Sexton, and to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’. The series Subscribe in iTunes, or your favourite podcast app. #betteroffdeadpod Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

<p><strong>The Netherlands’ euthanasia laws are the longest-running in Europe.</strong></p> <p><strong>Surprisingly, the drive to create them didn’t come from politicians; it came from doctors. Recognising that, like doctors in many countries (including our own), they were already assisting people to die, they pushed for a law that would bring the practice into the light – protecting both them and their patients.</strong></p> <p>The Hoffman sisters, interviewed in this episode — Photo: Emily Sexton</p> <p>In Australia, we hear lots of dark things about the slippery slope the Dutch are sliding down. Critics suggest that their euthanasia laws have spawned a system of legalised killing that is now running out of control.</p> <p>But what we never hear are the voices of the Dutch themselves. So I decided to go there to find out, first hand, how this system works – and if it really is out of control.</p> <p>After all, this is a country where euthanasia not only has support across the political spectrum and from all the major medical bodies – but also has one of the highest levels of public approval in the world.</p> <p>Perhaps there’s more to these laws than we’ve been told?</p> <blockquote><p>'It only lasted five minutes, but when I think back about it, it feels like a whole life – because we had this humour and this pure love feeling in the house. And I know for sure, and I can say with a hand on my heart, this is exactly how mother wants this.'</p></blockquote> Marian Hoffman – describing the euthanasia of her mother, Gret, who was dying of cancer     <p>Eric van Wijlick and Andrew Denton — Photo: Emily Sexton</p> <p><br/></p><p><strong>Please note</strong>: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the <a href="http://www.conversationsmatter.com.au/community-resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conversations Matter</a> or <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> websites.<br/><br/>If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifeline</a> (13 11 14), <a href="https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Suicide Call Back Service</a> (1300 659 467), <a href="https://www.mensline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MensLine</a> (1300 78 99 78), <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> (1300 22 4636), <a href="http://www.kidshelpline.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kids Helpline</a> (1800 55 1800) or <a href="https://www.eheadspace.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eheadspace</a> (1800 650 890).</p> <br/> <h1>Hear more</h1> <br/> Embed<em> player</em><br>Listen<br><h3>Better Off Dead: interview with Rob Jonquière</h3> <br><p>The Dutch Right To Die Organisation, known locally as the NVVE, is 160,000 members strong – bigger than any political party in the Netherlands. They are essentially the patient’s advocates, advising them about their end of life choices and arguing for their rights under the law. Listen to former NVVE chief executive (and at the time of this interview, their interim director), Rob Jonquière.<br/></p> <h1>Know more</h1> <ul><br/> <li><br/> <p>Article: <a href="http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21656182-doctors-should-be-allowed-help-suffering-and-terminally-ill-die-when-they-choose" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'The Right to Die'</a> – <em>The Economist</em>, 27 June 2015</p> </li> <li><br/> <p>Article: <a href="http://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/euthanasia-on-the-rise-in-netherlands/11605" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Euthanasia on the rise in Netherlands'</a>, by Xavier Symons – <em>BioEdge</em>, 10 October 2015</p> </li> <li>Article: <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel-tracks-a-dutch-euthanasia-patient-in-her-final-days-of-life-a-1016675.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'The Last Days of Annie Bus: A Chronicle of Dutch Euthanasia'</a>, by Laura Höflinger – <em>Der Spiegel</em>, 4 February 2015</li> </ul> <h1>In this episode</h1> <ul><br/> <li>Alex Schadenberg</li> <li>Theo Boer</li> <li>Henk Reitsema</li> <li>Susan Hoffman</li> <li>Marian Hoffman</li> <li>Eric van Wijlick</li> <li>Gerrit Kimsma</li> </ul> <p>Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'I Might be Wrong' (Radiohead), 'Life Story' (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), 'Loftið Verður Skyndilega Kalt' (Ólafur Arnalds), 'Says' (Nils Frahm) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly).</p> <h1>Your stories</h1> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and <a href="/news/better-off-dead-your-stories" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tell your story here</a>.</p> <h1>Further information</h1> <p>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre.</p> <p>Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Additional editing by Camilla Hannan. </p> <h1>Thank you</h1> <p>Thanks to field producer Emily Sexton, and to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’.</p> <h1>The series</h1> <p>Subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or your favourite podcast app. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#betteroffdeadpod</a></p> <br/>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

#5 The keys to life and death in someone else's hands: the Netherlands, part 1

Shortly after arriving in Belgium, I learned of ‘Laura’ – a 24-year-old woman who had sought the right to be euthanised after years of unrelieved mental suffering. Immediately, I heard alarm bells. My gut reaction?  A 24-year-old who’s not terminally ill? Surely there’s a point at which a society says ‘no: you have too much life ahead of you for us to help you die’.  If you’d asked me to tell you the point where it began to feel uncomfortable, this was it. After years of deep isolation, Marjorie Vangansbeke went to ULteam in pursuit of euthanasia. Instead, she came away with a diagnosis that helped her re-embrace her life — Photo: Emily Sexton The days that followed, where I talked with some of Belgium’s leading psychiatrists and physicians, were amongst the most intense I’ve ever experienced. Emotionally, I couldn’t shake the thought that this didn’t seem right. But intellectually, I wondered: is there more here than I know? To be honest, I toyed with not including this story in the podcast: it is so fraught with ambiguity and nuance that I feared it could easily be misunderstood. But two things persuaded me to continue with it. Firstly, that it was the people treating this young woman who had alerted me to her case. They wanted me to look at it – to try and understand. And secondly? A meeting I had, two hours out of Brussels, with a man whose sadness was so intense it was almost visible. The story he told me would change my understanding of the world. It led me to a question I had never considered before: what if the offer of euthanasia could actually save lives? Pierre Pol Vincke and his daughter Edith who, after 18 years of severe mental illness and many denied attempts to seek relief through euthanasia, took her own life while in a psychiatric ward — Photos: supplied 'She realised that she was already dead, and whenever she asked for help for euthanasia, the answer of the doctors was to condemn her to stay alive.' Pierre Pol Vincke     Please note: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the Conversations Matter or beyondblue websites.If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: Lifeline (13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), MensLine (1300 78 99 78), beyondblue (1300 22 4636), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) or eheadspace (1800 650 890).   Hear more  Embed playerListenBetter Off Dead: interview with Dirk De Wachter Psychiatric euthanasias are the most difficult, and in some quarters, the most disputed of all forms of assisted dying. Here, Dirk De Wachter – one of Belgium’s leading psychiatrists, and author of the best-selling Borderline Times – discusses the complexities of a practice that he nonetheless cautiously supports. Know more   Video: '24 &amp; ready to die' – Economist, 10 November 2015  Article: 'Belgian bishops, pros agree: no euthanasia for "psychological suffering"', by Jonathan Luxmoore – CatholicPhilly.com, 11 December 2015  Article: 'A commentary on "Euthanasia for psychiatric patients: ethical and legal concerns about the Belgian practice" from Claes et al.', by Lieve Thienpont and Monica Verhofstadt – BMJ Open, 5 January 2016   In this episode  Marjorie Vangansbeke Lieve Thienpont Luc Proot Pierre Pol Vincke  Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes '20:17' (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), 'Tunnel' (Luke Howard), 'Familiar' (Nils Frahm), 'Dedication, Loyalty' (Nils Frahm), 'Hand, be Still' (Ólafur Arnalds), 'White Night' (Ludovico Einaudi) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly). Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and tell your story here. Further information Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre. Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Head of Marketing and Communications Emily Harms, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Additional editing by Jess Fairfax. Thank you Thanks to field producer Emily Sexton, and to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’. The series Subscribe in iTunes, or your favourite podcast app. #betteroffdeadpod Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

<p><strong>Shortly after arriving in Belgium, I learned of ‘Laura’ – a 24-year-old woman who had sought the right to be euthanised after years of unrelieved mental suffering.</strong></p> <p><strong>Immediately, I heard alarm bells.</strong></p> <p><strong>My gut reaction?</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>A 24-year-old who’s not terminally ill? Surely there’s a point at which a society says ‘no: you have too much life ahead of you for us to help you die’.</strong></p> </blockquote> <p><strong>If you’d asked me to tell you the point where it began to feel uncomfortable, this was it.</strong></p> <p>After years of deep isolation, Marjorie Vangansbeke went to ULteam in pursuit of euthanasia. Instead, she came away with a diagnosis that helped her re-embrace her life — Photo: Emily Sexton</p> <p>The days that followed, where I talked with some of Belgium’s leading psychiatrists and physicians, were amongst the most intense I’ve ever experienced.</p> <p>Emotionally, I couldn’t shake the thought that this didn’t seem right. But intellectually, I wondered: is there more here than I know?</p> <p>To be honest, I toyed with not including this story in the podcast: it is so fraught with ambiguity and nuance that I feared it could easily be misunderstood.</p> <p>But two things persuaded me to continue with it. Firstly, that it was the people treating this young woman who had alerted me to her case. They <em>wanted</em> me to look at it – to try and understand.</p> <p>And secondly? A meeting I had, two hours out of Brussels, with a man whose sadness was so intense it was almost visible. The story he told me would change my understanding of the world.</p> <p>It led me to a question I had never considered before: what if the offer of euthanasia could actually <em>save</em> lives?</p> <p>Pierre Pol Vincke and his daughter Edith who, after 18 years of severe mental illness and many denied attempts to seek relief through euthanasia, took her own life while in a psychiatric ward — Photos: supplied</p> <blockquote><p>'She realised that she was already dead, and whenever she asked for help for euthanasia, the answer of the doctors was to condemn her to stay alive.'</p></blockquote> Pierre Pol Vincke     <p><br/></p><p><strong>Please note</strong>: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the <a href="http://www.conversationsmatter.com.au/community-resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conversations Matter</a> or <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> websites.<br/><br/>If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifeline</a> (13 11 14), <a href="https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Suicide Call Back Service</a> (1300 659 467), <a href="https://www.mensline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MensLine</a> (1300 78 99 78), <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> (1300 22 4636), <a href="http://www.kidshelpline.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kids Helpline</a> (1800 55 1800) or <a href="https://www.eheadspace.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eheadspace</a> (1800 650 890).</p> <h1></h1> <br/> <h1>Hear more</h1> <br/> Embed<em> player</em><br>Listen<br><h3>Better Off Dead: interview with Dirk De Wachter</h3> <br><p>Psychiatric euthanasias are the most difficult, and in some quarters, the most disputed of all forms of assisted dying. Here, Dirk De Wachter – one of Belgium’s leading psychiatrists, and author of the best-selling <em>Borderline Times –</em> discusses the complexities of a practice that he nonetheless cautiously supports.</p> <h1>Know more</h1> <ul><br/> <li><br/> <p>Video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWWkUzkfJ4M" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'24 &amp; ready to die'</a> – <em>Economist</em>, 10 November 2015</p> </li> <li>Article: <a href="http://catholicphilly.com/2015/12/news/world-news/belgian-bishops-pros-agree-no-euthanasia-for-psychological-suffering/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Belgian bishops, pros agree: no euthanasia for "psychological suffering"'</a>, by Jonathan Luxmoore – <a href="http://CatholicPhilly.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CatholicPhilly.com</a>, 11 December 2015</li> <li><br/> <p>Article: <a href="http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/7/e007454.abstract/reply#bmjopen_el_9360" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'A commentary on "Euthanasia for psychiatric patients: ethical and legal concerns about the Belgian practice" from Claes et al.'</a>, by Lieve Thienpont and Monica Verhofstadt – <em>BMJ Open</em>, 5 January 2016</p> </li> </ul> <h1>In this episode</h1> <ul><br/> <li>Marjorie Vangansbeke</li> <li>Lieve Thienpont</li> <li>Luc Proot</li> <li>Pierre Pol Vincke</li> </ul> <p>Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes '20:17' (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), 'Tunnel' (Luke Howard), 'Familiar' (Nils Frahm), 'Dedication, Loyalty' (Nils Frahm), 'Hand, be Still' (Ólafur Arnalds), 'White Night' (Ludovico Einaudi) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly).</p> <h1>Your stories</h1> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and <a href="/news/better-off-dead-your-stories" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tell your story here</a>.</p> <h1>Further information</h1> <p>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre.</p> <p>Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Head of Marketing and Communications Emily Harms, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Additional editing by Jess Fairfax.</p> <h1>Thank you</h1> <p>Thanks to field producer Emily Sexton, and to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’.</p> <h1>The series</h1> <p>Subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or your favourite podcast app. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#betteroffdeadpod</a></p> <br/>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

#8 Darkness visible: Marjorie, Edith and Laura: Belgium, part 2

The success of Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act – at 18 years, the world’s longest-running law of this kind – puts two things into sharp relief. Firstly, the increasingly desperate attempts of opponents to discredit it. Secondly, the truth they don’t want you to see – that this law works, and exactly as intended. How that law came to pass in such a religiously conservative country stands as a masterclass in public policy, and one that set the template other US states have since followed. Brittany Maynard: 'I would like all Americans to have access to the same healthcare rights' — Source: YouTube The most significant of these was California, which in 2015 adopted Oregon’s law – thanks in no small part to a woman named Brittany Maynard. Brittany was just 29, and dying of brain cancer, when she left her home in California to go and live in Oregon, where the law offered her a choice about how she died. Her decision to use her dying days to campaign publicly for a similar law in California made her a household name, with her videos attracting over 16 million views on YouTube. As he signed California’s End of Life Option Act into law, Governor Jerry Brown – a Catholic – said: ‘I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating pain. I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill. And I wouldn’t deny that right to others.’ 'I think we do a much better job because of this law. It’s done exactly what it’s supposed to, and more.' Leigh Dolin, former president of the Oregon Medical Association     Please note: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the Conversations Matter or beyondblue websites.If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: Lifeline (13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), MensLine (1300 78 99 78), beyondblue (1300 22 4636), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) or eheadspace (1800 650 890).   Hear more   Embed playerListenBetter Off Dead: Interview with Peg Sandeen    Peg Sandeen is the executive director of the Death With Dignity National Center in Portland, Oregon. Here, she describes how Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act works, and the campaign to take it to other states in America. Know more  Article: 'Twenty Years of Living with the Oregon Death with Dignity Act', by Eli Stutsman – GP Solo vol. 30 no. 4, 2013  Report: 'Oregon's Death with Dignity Act – 2014' – Oregon Public Health Division, 2015 Radio: 'California: Euthanasia' – The Law Report, ABC RN, 27 October 2015 Video: 'Brittany Maynard Legislative Testimony' – Brittany Maynard/CompassionChoices (YouTube), 31 March 2015 Article: 'Terminally Ill Woman Brittany Maynard Has Ended Her Own Life', by Nicole Weisensee Egan – People, 2 November 2014  Video: 'Brittany Maynard's mother: Help me carry out her legacy' – The Telegraph (YouTube), 22 January 2015  Article: 'California's governor has signed a bill legalising doctor-assisted dying' – Economist, 6 October 2015   In this episode  Eli Stutsman Derek Humphry Leigh Dolin Kevin Yuill Alex Schadenberg Nancy Elliott Catherine Glenn Foster Katrina Hedberg Daniel E. Lee  Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'Haust' (Ólafur Arnalds), 'Dead Radio' (Rowland S. Howard), 'The Puritan' (This Will Destroy You), 'Petiatil Cx Htdui' (Aphex Twin), 'LSD' (ASAP Rocky), 'I Might be Wrong' (Radiohead), 'Between Stones' (Blue Dot Sessions) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly). Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and tell your story here. Further information Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre. Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Head of Marketing and Communications Emily Harms, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Additional editing by Jon Tjhia. Thank you Thanks to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’. The series Subscribe in iTunes, or your favourite podcast app. #betteroffdeadpod Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

<p><strong>The success of Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act – at 18 years, the world’s longest-running law of this kind – puts two things into sharp relief. Firstly, the increasingly desperate attempts of opponents to discredit it. Secondly, the truth they don’t want you to see – that this law works, and exactly as intended.</strong></p> <p><strong>How that law came to pass in such a religiously conservative country stands as a masterclass in public policy, and one that set the template other US states have since followed.</strong></p> <p>Brittany Maynard: 'I would like all Americans to have access to the same healthcare rights' — Source: YouTube</p> <p>The most significant of these was California, which in 2015 adopted Oregon’s law – thanks in no small part to a woman named Brittany Maynard.</p> <p>Brittany was just 29, and dying of brain cancer, when she left her home in California to go and live in Oregon, where the law offered her a choice about how she died. Her decision to use her dying days to campaign publicly for a similar law in California made her a household name, with her videos attracting over 16 million views on YouTube.</p> <p>As he signed California’s End of Life Option Act into law, Governor Jerry Brown – a Catholic – said: ‘I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating pain. I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill. And I wouldn’t deny that right to others.’</p> <blockquote><p>'I think we do a much better job because of this law. It’s done exactly what it’s supposed to, and more.'</p></blockquote> Leigh Dolin, former president of the Oregon Medical Association     <p><br/></p><p><strong>Please note</strong>: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the <a href="http://www.conversationsmatter.com.au/community-resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conversations Matter</a> or <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> websites.<br/><br/>If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifeline</a> (13 11 14), <a href="https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Suicide Call Back Service</a> (1300 659 467), <a href="https://www.mensline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MensLine</a> (1300 78 99 78), <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> (1300 22 4636), <a href="http://www.kidshelpline.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kids Helpline</a> (1800 55 1800) or <a href="https://www.eheadspace.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eheadspace</a> (1800 650 890).</p> <h1></h1> <br/> <h1>Hear more</h1> <br/> <br/> Embed<em> player</em><br>Listen<br><h3>Better Off Dead: Interview with Peg Sandeen</h3> <br><p><br/></p> <br/> <br/> <p>Peg Sandeen is the executive director of the Death With Dignity National Center in Portland, Oregon. Here, she describes how Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act works, and the campaign to take it to other states in America.</p> <h1>Know more</h1> <ul><br/> <li>Article: <a href="http://www.americanbar.org/publications/gp_solo/2013/july_august/twenty_years_living_the_oregon_death_dignity_act.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Twenty Years of Living with the Oregon Death with Dignity Act'</a>, by Eli Stutsman – <em>GP Solo</em> vol. 30 no. 4, 2013<em><br/></em><br/> </li> <li>Report: <a href="http://public.health.oregon.gov/ProviderPartnerResources/EvaluationResearch/DeathwithDignityAct/Documents/year17.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Oregon's Death with Dignity Act – 2014'</a> – Oregon Public Health Division, 2015</li> <li>Radio: <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lawreport/segment/6884474" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'California: Euthanasia'</a> – The Law Report, ABC RN, 27 October 2015</li> <li>Video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi8AP_EhM94" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Brittany Maynard Legislative Testimony'</a> – Brittany Maynard/CompassionChoices (YouTube), 31 March 2015</li> <li>Article: <a href="http://www.people.com/article/brittany-maynard-died-terminal-brain-cancer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'</a><a href="http://www.people.com/article/brittany-maynard-died-terminal-brain-cancer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Terminally Ill Woman Brittany Maynard Has Ended Her Own Life'</a>, by Nicole Weisensee Egan – <em>People</em>, 2 November 2014<br/> </li> <li>Video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tTxznOpIEw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Brittany Maynard's mother: Help me carry out her legacy'</a> – The Telegraph (YouTube), 22 January 2015</li> <li><br/> Article: <a href="http://www.economist.com/node/21671379" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'California's governor has signed a bill legalising doctor-assisted dying'</a> – <em>Economist</em>, 6 October 2015<br/> </li> </ul> <h1>In this episode</h1> <ul><br/> <li>Eli Stutsman</li> <li>Derek Humphry</li> <li>Leigh Dolin</li> <li>Kevin Yuill</li> <li>Alex Schadenberg</li> <li>Nancy Elliott</li> <li>Catherine Glenn Foster</li> <li>Katrina Hedberg</li> <li>Daniel E. Lee</li> </ul> <p>Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'Haust' (Ólafur Arnalds), 'Dead Radio' (Rowland S. Howard), 'The Puritan' (This Will Destroy You), 'Petiatil Cx Htdui' (Aphex Twin), 'LSD' (ASAP Rocky), 'I Might be Wrong' (Radiohead), 'Between Stones' (Blue Dot Sessions) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly).</p> <h1>Your stories</h1> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and <a href="/news/better-off-dead-your-stories" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tell your story here</a>.</p> <h1>Further information</h1> <p>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre.</p> <p>Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Head of Marketing and Communications Emily Harms, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Additional editing by Jon Tjhia.</p> <h1>Thank you</h1> <p>Thanks to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’.</p> <h1>The series</h1> <p>Subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or your favourite podcast app. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#betteroffdeadpod</a></p> <br/>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

#9 Why should one church decide for all of us? Death with dignity in Oregon

Ray Godbold is a palliative care nurse faced with terminal cancer – but he doesn’t want to die in palliative care. Robyn and Ray Godbold — Photo: Andrew Denton Ray knows what some doctors prefer not to admit. He knows that, even in palliative care, not everything can be taken care of; that a patient’s choices about how they die are very limited; and that, sometimes, their dying involves a wildness nobody can predict. What Ray doesn’t know is that his own death will turn out to be everything he was hoping that he and his family would be spared. 'I've been there when lots of people have had terrible deaths. No matter what palliative care people say, the last 24 to 48 hours of somebody's life can be completely unexpected.' Ray Godbold     Ray and Robyn Godbold's children: Tara, Ella and Rory — Photo: Andrew Denton Please note: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the Conversations Matter or beyondblue websites.If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: Lifeline (13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), MensLine (1300 78 99 78), beyondblue (1300 22 4636), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) or eheadspace (1800 650 890).      Ray at Tullamarine Airport — Photo: Robyn Godbold   Know more   Article: 'Right to die: Dr Rodney Syme hands patient Ray Godbold life-ending medication', by Konrad Marshall – Age, 11 May 2015  Multimedia feature: 'Into the darkness', by Konrad Marshall – Age, 13 November 2014 Article: 'Dying with Dignity campaigner Ray Godbold farewelled by family', by Konrad Marshall – Age, 19 August 2015 Article: 'The right to die at home', by Chris Fotinopoulos – Saturday Paper, 5 December 2015 Transcript of testimony (PDF): 'Standing committee on legal and social issues: Inquiry into end-of-life choices', by Rory Godbold and Tara Szafraniec – Parliament of Victoria, 29 October 2015  In this episode  Ray Godbold Robyn Godbold Ella Godbold Rory Godbold Tara Szafraniec (née Godbold)  Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'Life Story' (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), 'Longplay' (Luke Howard), 'Familiar' (Nils Frahm), 'We're All Leaving' (Arcade Fire), 'Abandon Window' (Jon Hopkins), 'Ain't No Grave Going to Hold Me Down' (Charlie Parr), 'untitled #1 (vaka)' (Sigur Rós) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly). Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and tell your story here. Further information Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre. Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Head of Marketing and Communications Emily Harms, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Additional editing by Jess Fairfax. Thank you Thanks to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’. The series Subscribe in iTunes, or your favourite podcast app. #betteroffdeadpod Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

<p><strong>Ray Godbold is a palliative care nurse faced with terminal cancer – but he doesn’t want to die in palliative care.</strong></p> <p>Robyn and Ray Godbold — Photo: Andrew Denton</p> <p>Ray knows what some doctors prefer not to admit. He knows that, even in palliative care, not everything can be taken care of; that a patient’s choices about how they die are very limited; and that, sometimes, their dying involves a wildness nobody can predict.</p> <p>What Ray doesn’t know is that his own death will turn out to be everything he was hoping that he and his family would be spared.</p> <blockquote><p>'I've been there when lots of people have had terrible deaths. No matter what palliative care people say, the last 24 to 48 hours of somebody's life can be completely unexpected.'</p></blockquote> Ray Godbold     <p>Ray and Robyn Godbold's children: Tara, Ella and Rory — Photo: Andrew Denton</p> <p><br/></p><p><strong>Please note</strong>: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the <a href="http://www.conversationsmatter.com.au/community-resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conversations Matter</a> or <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> websites.<br/><br/>If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifeline</a> (13 11 14), <a href="https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Suicide Call Back Service</a> (1300 659 467), <a href="https://www.mensline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MensLine</a> (1300 78 99 78), <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> (1300 22 4636), <a href="http://www.kidshelpline.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kids Helpline</a> (1800 55 1800) or <a href="https://www.eheadspace.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eheadspace</a> (1800 650 890).</p> <h1></h1> <br/> <h1></h1> <br/> <br/> <p>Ray at Tullamarine Airport — Photo: Robyn Godbold</p> <br/> <br/> <h1>Know more</h1> <ul><br/> <li><br/> Article: <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/right-to-die-dr-rodney-syme-hands-patient-ray-godbold-lifeending-medication-20150506-ggv5bl.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Right to die: Dr Rodney Syme hands patient Ray Godbold life-ending medication'</a>, by Konrad Marshall – <em>Age</em>, 11 May 2015<br/> </li> <li>Multimedia feature: <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/comment/righttodiereality" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Into the darkness'</a>, by Konrad Marshall – <em>Age</em>, 13 November 2014</li> <li>Article: <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/dying-with-dignity-campaigner-ray-godbold-farewelled-by-family-20150819-gj2nvw.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Dying with Dignity campaigner Ray Godbold farewelled by family'</a>, by Konrad Marshall – <em>Age</em>, 19 August 2015</li> <li>Article: <a href="https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/topic/2015/12/05/the-right-die-home/14492340002710" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'The right to die at home'</a>, by Chris Fotinopoulos – <em>Saturday Paper</em>, 5 December 2015</li> <li>Transcript of testimony (PDF): <a href="http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/lsic/ELC_-_Presentations/29102015_CORRECTED_SCLSI_EoLC_-_Godbold_Rory_Tara.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Standing committee on legal and social issues: Inquiry into end-of-life choices'</a>, by Rory Godbold and Tara Szafraniec – Parliament of Victoria, 29 October 2015</li> </ul> <h1>In this episode</h1> <ul><br/> <li>Ray Godbold</li> <li>Robyn Godbold</li> <li>Ella Godbold</li> <li>Rory Godbold</li> <li>Tara Szafraniec (née Godbold)</li> </ul> <p>Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'Life Story' (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), 'Longplay' (Luke Howard), 'Familiar' (Nils Frahm), 'We're All Leaving' (Arcade Fire), 'Abandon Window' (Jon Hopkins), 'Ain't No Grave Going to Hold Me Down' (Charlie Parr), 'untitled #1 (vaka)' (Sigur Rós) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly).</p> <h1>Your stories</h1> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and <a href="/news/better-off-dead-your-stories" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tell your story here</a>.</p> <h1>Further information</h1> <p>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre.</p> <p>Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Head of Marketing and Communications Emily Harms, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Additional editing by Jess Fairfax.</p> <h1>Thank you</h1> <p>Thanks to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’.</p> <h1>The series</h1> <p>Subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or your favourite podcast app. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#betteroffdeadpod</a></p> <br/>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

#12 Velvet Ray

If there is an epicentre for anti-euthanasia sentiment, it’s Belgium – home to what are often described as the most liberal euthanasia laws in the world. Here, people of any age – even, in some circumstances, children – can be euthanised. Allegations are made of a euthanasia culture that has become so uncaring that the elderly are regularly despatched without their consent. The word ‘murder’ is sometimes used. Arsène Mullie speaks to Andrew Denton — Photo: Emily Sexton Tom Mortier — Photo: alexschadenberg.blogspot.com Yet for all these claims, since Belgium’s euthanasia law was introduced in 2002, public support for it remains phenomenally high (over 80%) – and there has been no procession of Belgians coming forward to complain about what the law has done to their families. Which is why Tom Mortier’s story is so powerful. Alleging the wrongful death of his mother under this law, he has put a human face to the slippery slope. Tom’s story is being used around the world as the ultimate cautionary tale about the fluidity of Belgium’s laws. There’s no doubting the pain that he feels. But is it a true reflection of a law – and a society – gone wrong? 'How can you say that you don't want to help if you're in palliative care?  What do you do then with patients who want euthanasia? How can you say to a patient who suffers, "keep suffering, tomorrow it will be better"?' Arsène Mullie, retired senior palliative care physician, Flanders     Please note: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the Conversations Matter or beyondblue websites.If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: Lifeline (13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), MensLine (1300 78 99 78), beyondblue (1300 22 4636), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) or eheadspace (1800 650 890).   Hear more  Embed playerListenBetter Off Dead: Interview with Marc Desmet No doctor comes to the question of euthanasia lightly. In Belgium – a predominantly Catholic country – questions of faith, morality, and ethics often collide. Here’s palliative care physician, and Jesuit, Marc Desmet discussing his own complex relationship with euthanasia. Know more   Article: 'Attitudes towards assisted dying' – Economist, 27 June 2015   Article: 'The death treatment', by Rachel Aviv – The New Yorker, 22 June 2015   In this episode  Tom Mortier Yves Desmet Arsène Mullie Alex Schadenberg Jan Bernheim Margaret Otlowski Luc Proot Kevin Yuill Jacqueline Herremans Lieve Thienpont  Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'We Disappear' (Jon Hopkins), 'B1' (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), 'A2 (Max Cooper remix)' (Nils Frahm), 'Abandon Window' (Jon Hopkins), 'Hunting Bears' (Radiohead), 'I Might be Wrong' (Radiohead), 'Against the Sky' (Harold Budd and Brian Eno), 'Hammers' (Nils Frahm), 'The Mighty Rio Grande' (This Will Destroy You) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly). Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and tell your story here. Further information Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre. Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Head of Marketing and Communications Emily Harms, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Additional editing by Bec Fary. Thank you Thanks to field producer Emily Sexton, and to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’. The series Subscribe in iTunes, or your favourite podcast app. #betteroffdeadpod Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

<p><strong>If there is an epicentre for anti-euthanasia sentiment, it’s Belgium – home to what are often described as the most liberal euthanasia laws in the world. Here, people of any age – even, in some circumstances, children – can be euthanised.</strong></p> <p><strong>Allegations are made of a euthanasia culture that has become so uncaring that the elderly are regularly despatched without their consent. The word ‘murder’ is sometimes used.</strong></p> <p>Arsène Mullie speaks to Andrew Denton — Photo: Emily Sexton</p> <p>Tom Mortier — Photo: <a href="http://alexschadenberg.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">alexschadenberg.blogspot.com</a></p> <p><strong>Yet for all these claims, since Belgium’s euthanasia law was introduced in 2002, public support for it remains phenomenally high (over 80%) – and there has been no procession of Belgians coming forward to complain about what the law has done to their families.</strong></p> <p><strong>Which is why Tom Mortier’s story is so powerful.</strong></p> <p>Alleging the wrongful death of his mother under this law, he has put a human face to the slippery slope.</p> <p>Tom’s story is being used around the world as the ultimate cautionary tale about the fluidity of Belgium’s laws. There’s no doubting the pain that he feels. But is it a true reflection of a law – and a society – gone wrong?</p> <blockquote><p>'How can you say that you don't want to help if you're in palliative care?  What do you do then with patients who want euthanasia? How can you say to a patient who suffers, "keep suffering, tomorrow it will be better"?'</p></blockquote> Arsène Mullie, retired senior palliative care physician, Flanders   <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><br/></p><p><strong>Please note</strong>: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the <a href="http://www.conversationsmatter.com.au/community-resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conversations Matter</a> or <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> websites.<br/><br/>If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifeline</a> (13 11 14), <a href="https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Suicide Call Back Service</a> (1300 659 467), <a href="https://www.mensline.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MensLine</a> (1300 78 99 78), <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beyondblue</a> (1300 22 4636), <a href="http://www.kidshelpline.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kids Helpline</a> (1800 55 1800) or <a href="https://www.eheadspace.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eheadspace</a> (1800 650 890).</p> <h1></h1> <br/> <h1>Hear more</h1> <br/> Embed<em> player</em><br>Listen<br><h3>Better Off Dead: Interview with Marc Desmet</h3> <br><p>No doctor comes to the question of euthanasia lightly. In Belgium – a predominantly Catholic country – questions of faith, morality, and ethics often collide. Here’s palliative care physician, and Jesuit, Marc Desmet discussing his own complex relationship with euthanasia.</p> <h1>Know more</h1> <ul><br/> <li><br/> <p>Article: <a href="http://www.economist.com/node/21656121" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Attitudes towards assisted dying'</a> – <em>Economist</em>, 27 June 2015</p> </li> <li><br/> <p>Article: <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/06/22/the-death-treatment" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'The death treatment'</a>, by Rachel Aviv – <em>The New Yorker</em>, 22 June 2015</p> </li> </ul> <h1>In this episode</h1> <ul><br/> <li>Tom Mortier</li> <li>Yves Desmet</li> <li>Arsène Mullie</li> <li>Alex Schadenberg</li> <li>Jan Bernheim</li> <li>Margaret Otlowski</li> <li>Luc Proot</li> <li>Kevin Yuill</li> <li>Jacqueline Herremans</li> <li>Lieve Thienpont</li> </ul> <p>Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films, and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'We Disappear' (Jon Hopkins), 'B1' (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm), 'A2 (Max Cooper remix)' (Nils Frahm), 'Abandon Window' (Jon Hopkins), 'Hunting Bears' (Radiohead), 'I Might be Wrong' (Radiohead), 'Against the Sky' (Harold Budd and Brian Eno), 'Hammers' (Nils Frahm), 'The Mighty Rio Grande' (This Will Destroy You) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly).</p> <h1>Your stories</h1> <p>If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and <a href="/news/better-off-dead-your-stories" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tell your story here</a>.</p> <h1>Further information</h1> <p>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre.</p> <p>Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Head of Marketing and Communications Emily Harms, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. Editing, sound design and mix on this episode is by Martin Peralta. Additional editing by Bec Fary.</p> <h1>Thank you</h1> <p>Thanks to field producer Emily Sexton, and to Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’.</p> <h1>The series</h1> <p>Subscribe in <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/better-off-dead/id1056470744" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, or your favourite podcast app. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23betteroffdeadpod&amp;src=typd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#betteroffdeadpod</a></p> <br/>Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

#7 The killing fields of Belgium: Belgium, part 1

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