Euthanasia workshops and a cup of tea

The Templestowe Senior Citizens Centre in Melbourne witnessed a slightly different information session along with the tea and coffee recently when euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke gave a free introductory lecture about his history and issues surrounding suicide.

About 100 elderly citizens packed the centre for the lecture and then paid a $50 fee to take part in a workshop on suicide methods recommended by his organisation Exit International. They all signed a disclaimer that they would not use the information “to advise, counsel, or assist in the act of suicide”.

Dr Nitschke said the disclaimer was “effectively saying that you won’t take notice of what I’m saying”. He said it was a crime to advise, counsel, or assist someone to commit suicide in Australia – an offence which carries a maximum jail term of 14 years in Victoria and 20 years in other states.

The Templestowe workshop was one of many Dr Nitschke will hold in Australia and New Zealand this year to teach people about his fight to legalise voluntary euthanasia. He told The Age newspaper that legal advice labeled his work a “grey area” but that although police had attended workshops in other states in the past he had not heard in early March from Victorian authorities.