By BELLA MIDDLETON
Supporters of assisted dying laws across Newcastle are launching a campaign blitz to show MP's how much community support there is for the proposed bill.
The campaign, organized by members of the community, comes after Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich drafted a Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill to introduce to NSW Parliament.
The bills aims to ensure that adults suffering with a terminal illness have the right to choose when to die instead of succumbing to their illness.
Dying with Dignity Newcastle supporters hosted stalls across the area on Saturday to educate residents on their cause and encourage them to sign a petition which urges members of Parliament to start working together on the Bill.
Abbey Egan, a Newcastle local, has been one of the key organizers lining up six stalls in shopping centers across the city and its suburbs.
Egan lost her partner Jayde Britton to cervical cancer in 2018, after an 18 month fight.
'I want to make sure that part of Jayde's legacy is that other people won't have to suffer horrendously at the end of their life like Jayde did.'
'The only thing Jayde wanted at the end of her life was the right to a peaceful, dignified death surrounded by her loved ones, and because we don't have the laws in place in NSW, she was denied that,' said Ms. Egan.
Dying with Dignity NSW President Penny Hackett says their movement is seeing a momentum of support across Newcastle, with over 3,500 campaign supporters in the area.
'The community overwhelmingly want voluntary assisted dying laws in place in NSW. Laws are in place in Victoria, about to come into effect in Western Australia, and are on their way in Tasmania, Queensland and South Australia.'
'The question is- why not NSW?'
'We're asking supportive MP's in NSW to start working collaboratively on this bill,' said Hackett.
The Dying with Dignity NSW petition was started in December 2020 and has already reached over 15,000 signatures. The petition can be found on their website.
