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