Footnotes
[1] Angus Martyn, Parliamentary Library, Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related
Material Offences) Bill 2005, Bills Digest No. 133 2004-05, p. 3.
[2] Explanatory
Memorandum, p. 1.
[3] Explanatory
Memorandum, p. 3.
[4] Explanatory
Memorandum, p. 2.
[5] Explanatory
Memorandum, p. 4.
[6] Explanatory
Memorandum, p. 4.
[7] Explanatory
Memorandum, p. 4.
[8] Explanatory
Memorandum, p. 3.
[9] Explanatory
Memorandum, p. 3.
[10] Explanatory
Memorandum, p. 3.
[11] The Hon Philip Ruddock MP, Attorney-General, Second
Reading Speech, House of Representatives
Hansard, 10 March 2005, pp 4-5.
[12] Submission
31, p. 5.
[13] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 29.
[14] For example, see Mr Graham Preston, Right to Life
Australia, Committee Hansard, 14
April 2005, pp 1-2.
[15] Submission
18, pp. 1-2.
[16] Submission
23, p. 1.
[17] See, for example, Electronic Frontiers Australia,
Submission 28, p. 4.
[18] Submission
28, p. 5.
[19] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, pp 13-14.
[20] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 16.
[21] Submission
4, p. 1.
[22] Submission
15, p. 1.
[23] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 14.
[24] Submission
22, p. 1.
[25] Submission
27, p. 3.
[26] Submission
27, p. 3.
[27] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 23.
[28] See further the discussion at para 3.22.
[29] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 22.
[30] Submission
23, p. 1.
[31] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 2.
[32] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 4.
[33] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 8.
[34] Submission
26, p. 3.
[35] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 5.
[36] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 3.
[37] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 5.
[38] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 7.
[39] Submission
29, p. 2.
[40] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 3.
[41] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 3.
[42] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 2.
[43] Submission
13, p. 1.
[44] For example, see Electronic Frontiers Australia, Submission 28, pp. 7-8 and
New South Wales Council for Civil Liberties, Submission 27, pp. 4-5.
[45] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 29.
[46] For example, see Voluntary Euthanasia Society of
Tasmania, Submission 6.
[47] Submission
6, p. 2.
[48] Submission
6, p. 4.
[49] Submission
11, p. 1.
[50] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 12.
[51] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 13.
[52] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 12.
[53] Submission
14, p. 1.
[54] Submission
12, p. 1.
[55] Submission
12, p. 1.
[56] Submission
32, p. 7.
[57] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 24.
[58] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 24.
[59] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, pp 24-25.
[60] Submission
21, p. 2.
[61] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 21.
[62] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 11.
[63] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 12.
[64] Submission
21, p. 2.
[65] Submission
21, p. 2.
[66] Submission
27, p. 5.
[67] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 11.
[68] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 12.
[69] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 26.
[70] Submission
32, p. 8.
[71] Submission
32, p. 8.
[72] Submission
32, p. 8.
[73] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 27.
[74] For example, see New South Wales Council for
Civil Liberties, Submission 27, p. 3; Electronic Frontiers Australia,
Submission 28, p. 11. The committee also notes that there are inconsistencies
with state and territory legislation in relation to accessing and possessing
suicide-related information. For example, under section 31C of the NSW Crimes
Act, a person must actually 'aid or abet' or 'incite or counsel' another person
to commit or attempt suicide. Therefore, obtaining information in hard copy
form from a library (perhaps with the intention of passing it to a terminally
ill relative) would not be an offence under NSW law until actual assistance or
incitement occurs (and suicide or an attempt results). Obtaining exactly the
same material from the Internet (with the intention of passing it to a
terminally ill relative for their use) would be an offence under the Bill. See
further Angus Martyn, Parliamentary Library, Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related Material Offences) Bill 2005,
Bills Digest No. 133 2004-05, p. 7.
[75] Submission
8, p. 3.
[76] Submission
32, p. 9.
[77] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 25.
[78] Submission
28, p. 9.
[79] The Model Criminal Code Committee, in considering
the offence of inciting the commission of an offence, rejected the use of the
word 'incites' because 'some courts have interpreted incites as only requiring
causing rather than advocating the offence'. That committee decided that 'the
word 'urges' would avoid this ambiguity while capturing the essence of the
offence'. The committee was also concerned that the fault element of
'recklessness in incitement was too great a threat to free speech' and, as a
result, the word 'urges' was used and intention, not recklessness, applies: see
further EFA, Submission 28, pp 8-9.
[80] Submission
32, p. 9.
[81] Submission
32, p. 9.
[82] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, p. 21.
[83] Submission
28, p. 12.
[84] Submission
28, p. 12.
[85] Committee
Hansard, 14 April 2005, pp 28-29.
[86] Submission
32, p. 10.
[87] Submission
32, p. 10.
[88] Submission
10, p. 1.
[89] Submission
32, p. 3.
[90] Submission
32, p. 4.
[91] Submission
32, p. 4.
[92] Submission
32, p. 4.
[93] Submission
28, p. 6.
[94] Submission
28, p. 6.
[95] Submission
32, p. 6.
[96] Submission
32, p. 7.
[97] Existing federal legislation already intrudes
into the area of private electronic communications between individuals. Section
474.14 of the Criminal Code, for example, prohibits the use of a
telecommunications network (including a carriage service) with intention to
commit a serious offence. A 'serious' offence includes any offence against a
law of the Commonwealth, a state or a territory that is punishable by
imprisonment for a period of 5 or more years or for life. This includes state
and territory criminal offences in relation to suicide. The type of conduct
captured by the offence in section 474.14 would include using a telephone to
facilitate commission of state and territory offences concerning suicide.
[98] Leenaars, A (2003), Suicide and human rights:
a suicidologist’s perspective. Health and Human Rights, Vol 6(2), pp
128-148.
[99] Parliamentary Library Bills Digest, Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related
Material Offences) Bill 2005. 15
March 2005. Page 2.
[100] Australian Bureau of Statistics (2004), Suicides: recent trends, Australia. 15 December.
Catalogue 3309.0.55.001.
[101] Australian Transport Safety Bureau (2005), Road Deaths Australia: Monthly Bulletin
January 2005. Australian Transport
Safety Bureau, Canberra.
[102]
“Suicide huge but preventable public
health problem, says WHO”. Media release
for World Suicide Prevention Day - 10 September. World Health Organisation. Issued 8 September 2004
(http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2004/pr61/en/)
[103] World Health Organisation (2002), World report on violence and health. WHO Geneva.
Page 185.
[104] West Australian Voluntary Euthanasia Society,
submission 4; Voluntary Euthanasia Society of New South Wales, submission 5 and
5A; Voluntary Euthanasia Society of Tasmania Inc, submission 6 and 6A; South
Australian Voluntary Euthanasia Society, submission 10; Voluntary Euthanasia
Society of Queensland, submission 15; Exit International, submission 16 and
16A.
[105] Voluntary Euthanasia Society of NSW,
submission 5A.
[106] Explanatory Memorandum, Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related Material Offences) Bill 2005,
page 1.
[107] Rajagopal, S (2004), Suicide pacts and the
Internet. British Medical Journal, Vol 329, pp
1298-1299.
[108] Hill, A (2003), Sorry you’re still here. The
Observer, 27 April.
[109] Mehlum, L (2000), The Internet, suicide, and
suicide prevention. Crisis: The Journal of Crisis
Intervention and Suicide Prevention,
Vol. 21(4), pp 186-188.
[110] Becker, K and Schmidt, M (2004), Internet
chat rooms and suicide. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, Vol
43(3), pp 246-247.
[111] Baume, P, Cantor, C and Rolfe, A (1997),
Cybersuicide: the role of interactive suicide notes on the Internet. Crisis:
The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide
Prevention, Vol 18(2), pp 73-79.
[112] Becker, K et al (2004), Parasuicide online:
Can suicide websites trigger suicidal behaviour in predisposed
adolescents? Nord J Psychiatry, Vol 58(2), pp 111-114.
[113] Becker, K and Schmidt, M (2004), Internet
chat rooms and suicide. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, Vol
43(3), pp 246-247.
[114] Gunnell, D and Frankel, S (1994), Prevention
of suicide: aspirations and evidence. British Medical Journal, Vol 308, pp
1227-1233.
World Health
Organisation (2002), World report on
violence and health. WHO,
Geneva. Page 202.
[115] Philip Nitschke, Exit International,
Committee Hansard, 14 April 2005, page 13.
[116] Philip Nitschke, Exit International,
Committee Hansard, 14 April 2005, page 10.
[117] Thompson, S (1999), The
Internet and its potential influence on suicide. Psychiatric
Bulletin, Vol 23, pp 449-451.
[118] Electronic Frontiers Australia, submission
28, pages 11-12.
[119] For example:
Ms Gillian Walker, submission 3; West Australian Voluntary Euthanasia
Society, submission 4; Voluntary Euthanasia Society of NSW, submission 5A,
Voluntary Euthanasia Society of Tasmania, submission 6, page 2, etc.
[120] Ms Julianne Smith, submission 25
[121] Irene Graham, Electronic Frontiers Australia,
Committee Hansard, 14 April 2005, page 21.
[122] Kep Enderby, Voluntary Euthanasia Society of
NSW, Committee Hansard, 14 April 2005, page 20.
[123] Geoffrey Gray, Attorney General’s Department,
Committee Hansard, 14 April 2005, page 30.
[124] Thompson, S (1999), The Internet and its
potential influence on suicide. Psychiatric Bulletin, Vol 23, pp
449-451.
[125] Hawton, K and James, A (2005) Suicide and
deliberate self harm in young people. British Medical Journal, Vol. 330, pp
891-894.
[126] For example: Ms Gillian Walker, submission 3;
WA Voluntary Euthanasia Society, submission 4
[127] Marshall Perron, submission 1; VES Tasmania,
submission 6; VES Victoria, submission 11, Exit International, submission 16A;
Electronic Frontiers Australia, submission 28
[128] South Australian Voluntary Euthanasia
Society, submission 10
[129] Voluntary Euthanasia Society of Tasmania,
submission 6.
[130] Kep Enderby, Voluntary Euthanasia Society of
NSW, Committee Hansard, 14 April 2005, page 18.
[131] Exit International, submission 16A
[132]
Lopez, K J (2001), Euthanasia sets
sail. National Review Online, 5 June.
http://www.nationalreview.com/interrogatory/interrogatoryprint060501.html
[133] Johnson, T (2003), Book review: Suicide and
euthanasia in older adults: a transcultural journey. Psychiatric
Services, Vol 54, pp 261.
[134] NSW Council for Civil Liberties, submission
27
[135] World Health Organisation (2002), World Report on Violence and Health. WHO, Geneva.
Page 192.
[136] Emanuel, E et al (2000), Attitudes and
desires related to euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide among terminally
ill patients and their caregivers.
Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol 284(19), pp2460-2468.
[137] Breitbart, W et al (2000), Depression,
hopelessness, and desire for hastened death in terminally ill patients with
cancer. Journal of the American Medical
Association, Vol 284(22), pp 2907-2911.
[138] Hawton, K and James, A (2005) Suicide and
deliberate self harm in young people. British Medical Journal, Vol. 330, pp
891-894.
[139] Hitchcock Noel, P et al (2004), Depression
and comorbid illness in elderly primary care patients: impact on multiple
domains of health status and well-being.
Annals of Family Medicine, Vol
2(6), pp 555-562.
[140] Pelly, M (2005), A better option: the wait
for a way out. The Sydney Morning Herald, March 19.
[141] New York State Taskforce on Life and the Law
(1994), When Death is Sought: Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in the Medical
Context. New York State Department of
Health. Page 15.
[142] Goldney, R (2001), Euthanasia: The Australian
Experience. In: Suicide and Euthanasia in Older Adults: A Transcultural Journey, De
Leo D, ed. Seattle: Hogrefe and Huber, pp172-179.
[143] Kissane, D, Street, A, Nitschke, P (1998),
Seven deaths in Darwin: case studies under the Rights of the Terminally Ill
Act, Northern Territory, Australia. The Lancet, Vol 352, pp1097-1102.
[144] WA Voluntary Euthanasia Society, submission 4
[145] Voluntary Euthanasia Society of Tasmania,
submission 6.
[146] WA Voluntary Euthanasia Society, submission
4.
[147] De Leo, D (2002), Why are we not getting any
closer to preventing suicide? The British Journal of Psychiatry, Vol
181, pp 372-374.
[148] New National Advisory Council on Suicide
Prevention. Media Release from the Hon Trish Worth MP, Parliamentary Secretary
for Health, 29 March 2004.
[149] New York State Taskforce on Life and the Law
(1994), page 12.
[150] Rahim, S et al (2005), Elderly suicide: an
analysis of coroner’s inquests into two hundred cases in Cheshire
1989-2001. Med Sci Law, Vol 45(1), pp 71-80.
[151] De Leo, D and Spathonis, K (2004), Culture
and suicide in late life. Psychiatric Times, Vol XX 11, October pp 14-17.
[152] Pritchard, C and Hansen, L (2005) Comparison
of suicide in people aged 64-74 and 75+ by gender in England and Wales and the
major Western countries 1979-1999. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry, Vol 20(1), pp
17-25.
[153] Lodhi, L and Shah, A (2005), Factors
associated with the recent decline in suicide rates in the elderly in England
and Wales, 1985-1998. Med Sci Law, Vol 45(1), pp 31-8.
[154] Mehlum, L (2000), The Internet, suicide, and
suicide prevention. Crisis: The Journal of Crisis
Intervention and Suicide Prevention, Vol. 21(4), pp 186-188.
[155] Gunnell, D and Frankel, S (1994), Prevention
of suicide: aspirations and evidence. British Medical Journal, Vol 308, pp
1227-1233.
[156] Graham Preston, Right to Life Australia,
Committee Hansard, 14 April 2005, page 7.
[157] Festival of Light Australia, submission 29,
page 2.
[158] Richard Egan, Coalition for the Defence of
Human Life, Committee Hansard, 14 April 2005, page 2.
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