The State Government is planning a new law about medical treatment for the dying.

It is literally a matter of life and death. Yours and mine.

The key issues are:

Terminally ill patients are entitled to refuse medical treatments that are futile or excessively burdensome.

Patients must not be left to starve or die of thirst. Feeding, even by artificial means, may only stop when the body can't absorb it.

Advance medical directives must not be legal documents. They would be made in ignorance of future medical advances. Too many dangers there.

Tell the Premier that life must be respected at all times, and not to open the way to euthanasia.

God's peace be with you.

This is Archbishop Barry Hickey.