A proposed Australian law banning the publication of suicide- related material on the internet will actually increase the number of suicides, says euthanasia advocate Dr Philip Nitschke. He believes that when older people know exactly how to end their lives when and as they want, they “perhaps paradoxically… live longer and have better, happier lives”. He was commenting on legislation aimed at his group, Exit International, which will create criminal penalties and fines for providing suicide information.

His comments prompted Sydney academic Katrina George to warn that women were more at risk of dying if euthanasia were legalised. “Is the best society can offer our elderly and sick the choice between a life of misery and killing themselves?” she asked in The Australian. A truly compassionate strategy would work for improvements in the social and health supports we provide the vulnerable members of our community.”

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