Brown Peter: Death with Dignity Bill — First Reading 
Brown Peter: Death with Dignity Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:610;Page:7493] 
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 I would like to start my reply by addressing a few of the queries. With regard to the query raised by Gordon Copeland about the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act I have to say that the Ministry of Justice advised the Attorney-General that there may be some conflict with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act in one aspect of the bill. The emphasis is on the word “may”. I sought a legal opinion and I am told that that is not true. With lawyers I am meeting the honourable member Margaret Wilson tomorrow afternoon to discuss it. I believe that my case is a good deal stronger than the Ministry of Justice’s case. 
I respect what Maurice Williamson said—I thought he hit the nail right on the head. It is happening now and there are some hard questions to be answered. I want them answered as well and I hope the bill addresses those questions but I respect the abilities of the select committee to address them in more thorough detail than I have done. I want to point out that if we do not pass this legislation the people we are talking about will not just sit down and suffer in silence. Many of them might but some of them will go out and commit suicide and die in a horrible undignified manner. That will happen if they cannot get the friendly doctor who will help them out of their situation that the Hon Maurice Williamson referred to. It is happening now to some degree and probably more than we actually think. 
All the recent polls taken in this country show a high level of public support for this legislation ranging from 62 percent to 82 percent. One poll conducted by Massey University showed 73 percent support for this sort of legislation. This is a controversial issue a delicate issue and a sensitive issue but the public have a right to talk about it. In an hour and five minutes we cannot possibly condemn the public to silence. It will not go away. I ask members to please send the bill to select committee. Please let the folk we are talking about and the people who are concerned for them have their say. I am on the side of the suffering. I will leave it to others to say “let them suffer.” 
Sending this bill to the select committee is not binding on any member. Any member can change his or her mind later on. It is simply democracy in action—letting the public have a say about a controversial delicate sensitive issue. That is all the public wants at this stage and I think that is a reasonable request. I urge all members to find compassion in their hearts—to the degree that they want to let the people that this bill will embrace talk to the select committee make a submission and discuss this issue publicly and openly. That is what I am asking at this point in time. I am not asking people to put a stake in the sand and say that they are with this bill for ever. I am—I believe that something has to be done for these folk. I have looked at the issue and wrestled with my conscience for quite some time but I am asking members to think now of these people in a friendly and compassionate way to allow them to come to the select committee and make their views and the opposing views known. 
I want to conclude by saying to the Hon. Bill English that this bill is not about children at all. It is only for adults. If the bill needs to be tightened up to say that then so be it.