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| Simon O' Connor |
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Committee chairman Simon O'Connor said the report did not make any formal recommendations to the Government about whether euthanasia should be legalised. It instead provided a summary of the arguments for and against assisted dying.
"We've tried to distil all the arguments and our recommendation to both the Parliament and the people of New Zealand is to read this report and come to a deeper understanding of what's been asked around assisted suicide and euthanasia."
O'Connor said that in his personal view, the report did not indicate that assisted dying should be legalised.
"As I look at it myself, the arguments are quite compelling that while we understand why people ask for this, it's equally an issue for public safety and not a prudent step to make."
Green Party health spokeswoman Julie-Anne Genter said the committee could not reach a consensus on a law change. Genter, whose party supports voluntary euthanasia, said it was a consolation that there was no formal recommendation against a law change.
The inquiry was helpful in identifying the problems which would need to be addressed if Parliament considered a law change in future, she said.
Between 75 and 80 per cent of the submissions were opposed to legalising voluntary euthanasia and the rest wanted a law change.
"But I don't think this is simply a numbers game," O'Connor said. "It is about actually understanding the arguments for and against and making a decision about which ones are correct."
He said the main argument against a legal euthanasia regime was public safety.
"It is very difficult to see how there could be sufficient safeguards to actually protect vulnerable people in New Zealand. And that's been the experience overseas as well.
"It probably comes down to the simple question of 'How many errors would Parliament would be willing to accept in this space?'"