ABOUT DWDQ.

About Dying With Dignity Queensland:

In Australia, every State and Territory has a VE Society. These Societies comprise thousands of members in all.

The DWDQ Program is to:

• Formulate specific proposals to decriminalize voluntary euthanasia and seek their introduction through Parliament.
• Provide information to parliamentarians, governmental and political bodies, medical, legal and educational institutions, libraries, students and other interested groups.
• Provide speakers to community groups to increase awareness and understanding of voluntary euthanasia
• Promote the use of Advance Health Directives and Enduring Powers of Attorney.
• Publish resource material on voluntary euthanasia and keep members informed of events in the voluntary euthanasia movement.
• Promote public meetings and educational seminars at which ideas related to good dying can be exchanged and disseminated.

Membership in DWDQ will provide you with:

• A quarterly Newsletter
• Regular general meetings (speakers, films, etc.)
• Occasional workshops
• An emergency medical record card for your wallet, a bumper sticker, and background information sheets
• List of useful reading and online contacts
• Options for further participation
• Access to our library

 
Public Opinion:

Over the last decade, opinion polls conducted by independent pollsters, including Morgan Research, have consistently shown that approximately three-quarters of Australians support the concept of voluntary euthanasia.  In fact, the most recent poll, conducted by Newspoll Market Research in 2007, found that 80 per cent of Australians believe that the terminally ill should have a right to choose a medically assisted death.

Where it is Legal:

Voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted death is legal only in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and the State of Oregon, Montana & Washington (USA).  Many countries are looking towards changing their laws as the demand for VE grows.  Only in Switzerland is help available to citizens of other countries
( See: An Australian Guide to Dignitas— 11 pages PDF).

Advance Health Directives:

Sometimes called “Living Wills”, these are documents whereby you can give guidelines on how far you wish your life to be sustained once a certain point of illness or trauma has been reached.  Ideally, while still in good health, everyone should complete and regularly update an Advance Health Directive as well as an Enduring Power of Attorney, giving a copy to a doctor, family member, and/or friend.  Available in Queensland from most news-agencies, or download from:
Advanced Health Directive (Queensland). These are legal documents in Queensland.

MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES CONTACT: DWDQ SECRETARY

NEWSLETTER ENQUIRIES: THE EDITOR