Queensland Labor Government To Force Euthanasia On Catholic Hospitals

Deputy Premier Steven Miles Has Told a Media Gathering That Queensland's Euthanasia Scheme Will Not Offer a Blanket Right of Institutional Conscientious Objection.

Laudetur Iesus Christus.

In a move that has shocked both fundamental rights advocates and Christian leaders across Australia, the Queensland Labor Government has detailed plans to strip away fundamental rights from the Holy Catholic Church.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles With Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Deputy Premier Miles said Church-run hospitals and aged care homes must allow voluntary euthanasia for terminally ill patients who could not or would not be moved to other facilities.

Mr Miles' announcement indicates Church-run facilities will not receive a right of institutional conscientious objection, and doctors will be able to attend and perform euthanasia on patients or residents in Catholic facilities without asking permission or informing the institution.

Metropolitan Archbishop of Brisbane, The Most Reverend Mark Coleridge, said the Deputy Premier's statement was "Disappointing but not surprising."

Archbishop Coleridge, who is also the President of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference, suggested that the Queensland Government should spend more time and money focusing on palliative care and less on euthanasia, which is ultimately a decision that can not be reversed.

"The Deputy Premier's position is now clear. He may have carriage of the bill, but we hope that the Government can still see the need to respect the right of conscientious objection." Archbishop Coleridge said.

Archbishop Coleridge (Photo: CNS)

In recent times Archbishop Coleridge has also amassed support from local Anglican Bishops' on the matter of euthanasia, whose healthcare facilities would also be affected by proposed legislative changes.

Some in the community have wanted to clarify the sheer proportion of healthcare the Holy Catholic Church provides in both Queensland and across Australia, a service that the State would not be able to provide nor afford.

Some individual Queenslanders Vox Fidei interviewed suggested that the proposed legislation amounts to a fundamental interference in their rights to religious freedom.

This legislation comes at an awkward time where the Queensland Labor Party will need to win seats, especially rural seats, for Anthony Albanese to win the next federal election. However, they also need to be mindful of appeasing left-leaning inner-city voters or risk losing those seats to the Greens.

In a state where more than 21% of people self identify as Roman Catholic and over 56% as Christian, is this a wise move from the Premier who has previously told the media she "Holds Deep Christian Values"?

Townsville Bishop The Most Reverend Timothy Harris leaves us with this quote on the current euthanasia debate, which Vox Fidei finds very fitting, "How have we got to this?"