Ruddock doing something useful

Story from ABC News today:

Euthanasia advocate Phillip Nitschke is furious that federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock is attempting to stop his book from being published in Australia.

Mr Ruddock is appealing a decision by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) to approve the sale of the self-help euthanasia book under strict conditions.

The book offers advice and tips to those considering euthanasia and is being sold in the United States and Canada.

Dr Nitschke denies his book would lead to an increase in Australia's suicide rate.

"Desperate people are the ones who do desperate things," he said.

"What we find is that when people are in possession of the best information, feel like they have choices and control, is that they actually live longer.

"So I simply don't agree with that idea that putting this information out is going to lead to a spate of suicides.

"Rather it will help or improve the overall general health of a lot of anxious and elderly folk at present."

Dr Nitschke says the Government's action is a violation of Australia's democratic rights. More...

The piece later quotes the prominent Northern Territory anti-euthanasia campaigner Tom Kylie as believeing that the book should be published. He believes that its publication would lead to a more healthy debate. Weird! There are some things that shouldn't be published. Last year Sandra Kanck MLC read out instruction to kill yourself in Parliament here in South Australia. The section was removed form Hansard.