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“The fact that this bill would align aged care facilities with hospitals should give everyone voting for this bill comfort,” Carter told parliament. “Unlike Victoria, where overwhelmingly those seeking euthanasia self-administer, in NSW we now know that about 80 per cent of VAD is administered by an authorised health professional. “For the roommate in the aged care facility, this looks like the doctor coming into the shared room bringing death, not healing. This would be challenging at the best of times, but even more challenging if the roommate has chosen to live in a faith-based facility and shares those faith values.” However, the Older Women’s Network and advocacy group Go Gentle are highly critical of the proposed changes, which have the backing of 12 MPs including Liberals Anthony Roberts, Damien Tudehope and Chris Rath, plus Mark Latham and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MPs Robert Borsak and Mark Banasiak. Older Women’s Network chief executive Yumi Lee said, “aged care is a home, not a hospital”.
