A push for properly funded palliative care in light of ACT’s proposed VAD legislation

L-R: Attending the Public hearing of the Select Committee into the ACT Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation at the ACT Legislative Assembly ACL’s State Director NSW/ACT Joshua Rowe, Dr Patrick McArdle, Chancellor Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, Catholic Archbishop Christopher Prowse and Anglican Bishop Mark Short

Palliative care is the best and most comprehensive way of responding to the vulnerable and terminally ill in our community, Archbishop Christopher Prowse has told a public hearing of the Select Committee into the ACT Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation at the ACT Legislative Assembly.

Archbishop Prowse appeared on Monday in a panel alongside Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn chancellor Dr Patrick McArdle, Anglican Bishop Mark Short and ACL’s State Director NSW/ACT Joshua Rowe.

The proposed legislation is being examined over four days of public hearings.

The committee received 82 submissions as part of its inquiry, with 58% favouring voluntary assisted dying, 32% against and 10% neither for or against.

The Christian panel noted concerns about several aspects of the legislation, including conscientious objection.

“The issue of conscientious objection, mentioned in the draft legislation, is a very narrow understanding, from our Catholic viewpoint regarding this important matter,” Archbishop Prowse said.

“Whereas the draft legislation does protect institutions that are opposed to VAD legislation, there is a criminal penalty if such institutions do not refer the petitioner to others that will provide Euthanasia alternatives.”

When asked to address the moral conflict, Archbishop Prowse said from a Catholic point of view, the obligation to refer the person to others who would be sympathetic to accessing VAD was unacceptable.

“For a Catholic institution to direct or participate or cooperate would be unacceptable,” he explained.

The Archbishop said while all involved in the legislation were concerned about the terminally ill and the vulnerable, it was the response to that shared concern that was the question at hand.

“To me, the palliative care argument is not only persuasive but overwhelmingly persuasive because we walk together with the person,” he said.

“Palliative care – well resourced, at the top level, provided at home as well – involves the whole family, involves the community and the proximity, the closeness, the kindness that we have with our loved ones who are in the final stages of their lives. Whereas the euthanasia option is giving a poison rather than healing and going against the whole idea of health.”

Outside the ACT Legislative Assembly (L-R) ACL’s State Director NSW/ACT Joshua Rowe, Dr Patrick McArdle Chancellor Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, Anglican Bishop Mark Short and Catholic Archbishop Christopher Prowse

Dr McArdle, Archdiocesan chancellor, said there was a failure to recognise the existential questions at the heart of the debate.

“How should we as a community respond to those in need? Compassion always seems to mean giving you what you want, not responding with what we know might assist.”

Archbishop Prowse released a letter urging the faithful to be united in prayer and intercession that the legislation would lapse and that well-funded palliative care would become the priority of legislation. 

“This legislation is aimed to directly, through evil means, end the life of our most vulnerable and terminally ill citizens,” he said.

“It is a ‘mistaken compassion.’”