Northern Territory Euthanasia Collection – Freedom of Speech is Dead Where Euthanasia is Concerned
Alternative collection title
Page 1019-1020
Date range (approx.)
2006
Scope and contents
An opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald by Marshall Perron, published on the eve of the assent of the Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related Material Offences Act) 2006 (Cwth). This law makes it illegal to discuss the practicalities of end-of-life options by telephone, email or internet and Perron argues it will change the "cultural landscape" of free dialogue in Australia. While the law may be "noble" in any attempt to protect teenagers from suicide chat rooms, its effect on the elderly will be to further increase the anxiety felt by them as they approach the end of their lives, while doing nothing to reduce the growing number of eldely people who commit suicide.
Record Type
In the news
Physical description
Electronic Document - 2 Pages
Language
English
Language code
eng
Collection created by
Marshall Perron
Biographical history
The Northern Territory was the first jurisdiction in the world to explicitly legalise euthanasia. The Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995 (NT) entered into law on 1 July 1996. The following year the Commonwealth Parliament intervened to overturn the Act. Section 50A was added to the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act 1978 to prohibit the Northern Territory from making laws in respect of euthanasia. The Rights of the Terminally Act was in force for 9 months, during which time four people died by medically assisted suicide through its provisions.
Provenance
The NT Euthanasia Collection contains donations from a number of contributors. This item was donated by Mr Marshall Perron.
Subjects
Suicide Individual Autonomy Criminal Code Amendment Suicide Related Material Offences Act 2006 (Cwth)
Names (person)
Marshall Perron
Names (organisation)
The Sydney Morning Herald
Places
New South Wales
Box list available?
n/a
Item list available?
n/a
Conditions governing access
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers should be aware that this collection may contain images or names of people who have since passed away.
Related material
Please see folder list for the NT Euthanasia Collection (link below)
Location
Arafura Research Archive
Institution
Charles Darwin University, Darwin
Description for Link
Folder list for NT Euthanasia Collection [CDU Arafura Research Archive]
