Your Last Right, an Australian euthanasia lobby group, has collected an impressive list of more than 100 “ambassadors” for “ the legal right to request and obtain medical assistance to end their lives with dignity”. It contains some familiar names – Philip Adams, Bob Brown, Leslie Cannold, Peter Singer, for instance. But there are some surprises, at least for me: footie legend Ron Barassi, former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, “social identity” Lady Susan Renouf, and Major General Alan Stretton. Here is the full list for those who are interested.
Philip Adams, Journalist, broadcaster Yvonne Allen, HR consultant Lyn Allison, Former Senator Prof. Dennis Altman AM, Professor of Politics, La Trobe University Valma Angliss AM, Founding member ISPO Bettina Arndt, Therapist, author Rev. Gordon Bannon, Minister of Religion Ron Barassi AM, Football legend Greg Barns, Barrister, Columnist Prof. Peter Baume AC, Former Senator, former Chancellor ANU Layne Beachley, Surfing legend Prof. David Beanland AO, Retired Vice-Chancellor RMIT John Bell AO, Actor, theatre director Casey Bennetto, Writer and Performer Rev. Trevor Bensch, Minister of religion Dr Kym Bonython AC,BFC,AFS,KCSJ, Entrepeneur, (in memoriam) Henry Bosch AO, Former Chairman NCSC Em. Prof. Freda Briggs AO, Researcher and educator Bob Brown, Tasmanian Senator and Australian Greens leader Julian Burnside QC, Barrister and author Dr Leslie Cannold, Bioethicist,, researcher, writer Dr Lyn Carson, Prof Fellow, Centre for Citizenship and Public Policy, UWS Dr Moss Cass, Doctor, surgeon and researcher (retired) Tricia Caswell, Sustainability expert Prof. Simon Chapman, Public Health Researcher and Advocate - FASSA Hon. Robin Chapple, MLC for the Mining & Pastoral Region, WA Hon. Stephen Charles QC, Justice of Appeal, Supreme Court (Vic, retired) Prof. Max Charlesworth AO, Philosopher Prof. Alf Clark, Social scientist Everald Compton, former Director and Chair of National Seniors Australia Peter Couchman, Journalist and writer Nick Crofts, Medical epidemiologist and researcher Prof Rod Crook, Social Scientist, retired Peter Cundall AM, Former host, ABC, 'Gardening Australia' Kenneth Davidson, Co-editor Dissent magazine; contrubutor to The Age Rev. Dr Craig de Vos, Minister - Nth Adelaide Baptist Church Catherine Deveny, Writer and humorist Anne Deveson, Writer, broadcaster,, documentary maker The Hon. John Dowd AO QC, Educator; Supreme Court Judge (NSW, retired) Prof. Gary Dowsett, Academic and Social Sciences researcher, La Trobe University Denise Drysdale, TV personality Dr Ilsa Evans, Author Hon. Elizabeth Evatt AC, Legal leader Dr June Factor, Writer Rt Hon. Malcolm Fraser, AC CH, Former Prime Minister Mrs Tamara Fraser AO, Founding President, The Australia Fund Julia Freebury, Civil Libertarian Activist Patrick Galvin AM, Former Federal Department Secretary - Arts, Heritage and Environment. Max Gillies AM, Actor and TV performer. A National Treasure Brian Goldsmith, Entrepreneur Sandy Gore, Actress Dr Nigel Gray, AO, former Director Cancer Council Victoria John H Greenwell, former Deputy President, Australian Law Reform Commission Dr R. Julian Hafner, Doctor, FRANZCP Prof. The Hon. George Hampel AM QC, Supreme Court Judge, (Victoria, retired) Peter Hardham, Lawyer; human rights advocate; former Ombudsman Robert Hewett, Playwright Janet Holmes à Court AC, Businesswoman David and Maya Hume OAM, Industrialists and philanthropists Dr David Hunt, Cardiologist, FRACP, FACC, FCSANZ, RFD Dr Roger Hunt, Palliative Care specialist - GDPH, FAChPM Peter Isaacson AM, Publisher Dr Warren Johnson AM, Doctor, FRACS, FACS Dr Rosemary Jones, Gynaecologist, FRCOG Hon. Sandra Kanck, Former MLC , South Australia Prof. David Kelly, Former Chair,, Victorian Law Reform Commission Hon. Steph Key MP, Member of the South Australian Parliament Prof. Helga Kuhse, Philosopher and, bioethics researcher Hon. Anne Levy, Former minister in S.A. Government Dr Murray Lloyd, MBBS, FRACP, FRACP, Consultant, Geriatrician (retired) Amanda Lohrey, Novelist, essayist Hon. Rod Mackenzie OAM, Former Victorian Minister, Geelong Province Rev. Dr Francis Macnab AM, Executive Minister,, St Michael's on Collins Hon. Ian Macphee AO, Former Federal Minister Eve Mahlab OA, Businesswoman Iola Mathews OAM, Author Lindsay McDougall, Writer Judith McGrath, Actress Prof. Peter McIntyre AO, Leading architect Ron Merkel QC, Federal Court Judge (retired); QC Gordon Moffatt AM, Former Deputy Mayor,, Melbourne Prof. Rob Moodie, Professor of Global Health, Nossal Institute for Global Health The Hon. Jocelyn Newman, Former Senator and Minister Assoc. Prof. Neville Pamment, Bio-engineer, University of Melbourne Prof. Malcom Parker, Assoc. Prof. of Medical Ethics Mark Parnell, Greens Parliamentarian, SA Kirk Pengilly, INXS Rock Band Musician Frank Penhalluriack, Councillor and retail reformer Marshall Perron, Former Chief Minister of, the Northern Territory Anne Phelan OAM, Actress Prof. Peter and Mrs Rae Pierce, AM, Author and academic, Monash University, school principal (retired) Adrian Price, Christians Supporing Choice for VE Chris Puplick AM, Former Senator Rev. Kenneth Ralph, Minister of religion, (retired), counsellor Lady Susan Renouf, Social identity Nick Renton AM, Awarded author, (in memoriam) Bill Richmond, MSDIA MAICD Robert Richter QC, Barrister and Human Rights Promoter Roland Rocchiccioli, Entertainer, and writer Prof. Doreen Rosenthal AO, Hon. Professorial Fellow, Uni. of Melbourne, FASSA Jennifer Ross AO, Former Exec. Dir., Haemophilia Fed. Of Aust. Dr Harry Rundle, Surgeon, FRACS, FRCS, FRCSE Delys Sargeant AM, Educator; retired Director COTA Vic; former Director Social Biology Resources Centre, Uni. Melb. Hon. Chris Schacht, Former Senator & Minister Prof. Peter Singer, Philosopher and ethicist Dick Smith AO, Australian of the Year 1987; entrepreneur and refugee advocate. Jim Soorley, Former Lord Mayor Brisbane Tracey Spicer, Newsreader and journalist Rev. Bernarr Haydn Stevens, Minister of religion Mrs C. Rosemarie Stevens, Registered nurse Major Gen. Alan Stretton, AO CBE, Australian of Year, 1975 Dr Bob Such, Member of Parliament (SA, Ind.) Anne Summers AO, Journalist and author Dr Rodney Syme, Urologist surgeon Geoffrey Tulloch, Victorian Police, Superintendent (retired) Lesley Vick, Legal researcher, co-editor D!ssent Magazine Prof. Merrilyn Walton, Professor of Medical Education Dr David Warren AO, Scientist, inventor, FAIE, (in memoriam) Dr Bruce Watson, Heads Together organisation Prof. Colin Wendell-Smith AO, Deputy VC U. Tas. (retired), Founder U3A Hobart Prof. George Williams, Anthony Mason Professor of Law Prof. John Willoughby, Neurologist, Flinders University, FRACP Ian Wood, Co-founder, Christians for Voluntary Euthanasia
Star Trek: Into Darkness
20 May 2013
The familiar characters face very contemporary issues of terrorism and militarism in this nicely characterised film.
EU shows how to do a dodgy survey
16 May 2013
The EU's largest-ever survey of hate crimes and discrimination against LGBT people claims that they labour under a terrible burden.…
What is parenthood?
15 May 2013
In debates about the family, some social scientists are asserting the primacy of theory over facts. Is this science?