The Catholic Weekly 11 December 2022

THE FINAL impediment to the nationwide victory of eu- thanasia has been removed after the Restoring Territory Rights Bill passed the Senate on 1 November. The Bill had already won its Second Reading vote on 24 November, 41 votes to 25, making the final stage of de- bate a mere formality. It had previously passed the House of Representatives in August, 99 to 37. The Bill overturned the Howard-era Euthanasia Laws Act 1997 , meaning the ACT and NT will now pass their own euthanasia laws. Amendments from Sena- tor Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to prevent the legalisation of euthanasia for children were defeated 25 to 37. Senator Price’s amend- ments would also have pre- vented access to euthanasia where mental illness or disa- bility were the only factors in a person’s decision to take their own life. “There are those that think this might be a radical reform. I can tell you now it’s not a radical reform to ensure that children don’t have access to voluntary assisted dying,” Senator Price said. “This does occur in some Scandinavian countries, and in Canada a person with a mental health condition and disability can access their as- sisted suicide scheme even without a terminal condition.” Opponents of Senator Price’s amendment said the bill was about restoring “leg- islative equality” to the Terri- tories and further conditions on euthanasia should not be imposed from Canberra. “To- night is about the Northern Territory saying to the fed- eral parliament: please, do the right thing. Let us make our own decisions. Rightly or wrongly, they are ours,” Sen- ator Malarndirri McCarthy said. Archbishop Christopher Prowse of Canberra and Goul- burn said in a statement that he was grateful to the Sena- tors “who really did exercise a deep regard for the vulner- able, and for the imperative that life has an absolute value and is the foundation for all society.” “It is ironic that as we ap- proach the Christmas season, the Australian Parliament has enabled a further erosion of the protections owed to those who are in precarious circum- stances,” he said. Branka van der Linden, Director of anti-euthanasia group HOPE, said the Bill “wasn’t about the restoration of Territory rights” . “It was about the Senate abdicating its responsibility to protect the vulnerable,” she said. CONTINUED P3 Canberra opens the floodgates WhenaSydneyparishset out tohonour theMotherofGod, itpulledout all thestops ¾ Adam Wesselinoff SUNDAY 11 December, 2022 CatholicWeekly The www.catholicweekly.com.au THE CHURCH. ALL OF IT $2 ... grateful to the Senators ‘who really did exercise a deep regard for the vulnerable, and for the imperative that life has an absolute value.” Archbishop Christopher Prowse Clare Communications Co PTY LTD See our website for more information on our services Fireworksmajesty ends a great day of faith When Mary Immaculate Par- ish Administrator Fr Danai Penollar and parishioners in Bossley Park set out to honour Mary for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception they left no stone unturned. Deter- mined to make it a special occasion for all and to give the Mother of God a present she won’t forget, they decided not just to settle for a traditional procession. Students, families and parishioners laboured for weeks to organise a special Mass, procession and a festival - all capped off with a night of fireworks. An estimated 800 or more turned out for the celebration ahead of the feast last weekend. PHOTO: ALPHONSUS FOK REPORT P4