John Stapleton
ONLY four years ago Alan Plowman, once one of the country's leading diving and trampoline coaches, won the World Masters Springboard Diving Championship. All his life he had been healthy and active.
ONLY four years ago Alan Plowman, once one of the country's leading diving and trampoline coaches, won the World Masters Springboard Diving Championship. All his life he had been healthy and active.
Then in 2002 disaster struck. He was diagnosed with ``multiple-system-atrophy'', a condition similar to Parkinson's disease. Now he is in a wheelchair and barely able to speak.
Mr Plowman, 81, negotiated the complexities of a rain-drenched Sydney yesterday to attend the launch of Philip Nitschke's first book ``Killing Me Softly: Voluntary Euthanasia and the Road to the Peaceful Pill,'' written in conjunction with his partner Dr Fiona Stewart.
While reviled by some, for many elderly people Dr Nitschke, Australia's very own Dr Death, is a hero.
Mr Plowman, as a passionate supporter of voluntary euthanasia, just wishes there were more like him. ``I don't have much control over a lot of things,'' he whispers. ``I definitely like the idea of a peaceful pill. It is controlling my own destiny.
Mr Plowman, as a passionate supporter of voluntary euthanasia, just wishes there were more like him. ``I don't have much control over a lot of things,'' he whispers. ``I definitely like the idea of a peaceful pill. It is controlling my own destiny.
``The time is not now, but I want the option of a dignified exit.''
There are strong fears in the right-to-die movement that the Howard government will use its coming control of the Senate to railroad through an amendment to the Criminal Code known as the Suicide Related Materials Offences Bill. The Bill bans any attempt to promote euthanasia by email, telephone or internet. Dr Nitschke slammed the proposed legislation. ``It is the electronic version of book burning on a topic of great importance to elderly Australians,'' he said. ``There will be an outcry. It might not be vital to John Howard, but it is vital to the over 75s who want to know what is available.''
There are strong fears in the right-to-die movement that the Howard government will use its coming control of the Senate to railroad through an amendment to the Criminal Code known as the Suicide Related Materials Offences Bill. The Bill bans any attempt to promote euthanasia by email, telephone or internet. Dr Nitschke slammed the proposed legislation. ``It is the electronic version of book burning on a topic of great importance to elderly Australians,'' he said. ``There will be an outcry. It might not be vital to John Howard, but it is vital to the over 75s who want to know what is available.''
Dr Nitschke said the ``peaceful pill'', a barbituate based concoction which makes death fast and easy, could revolutionise euthanasia just as the contraceptive pill transformed birth control a generation ago. He said when they had an exit strategy in place terminally ill people stopped worrying and their quality of life often improved. ``People want something that is simple, reliable and not technically difficult,'' he said. ``It is a paradox, but the acquisition of a reliable lethal drug prolongs life. Their spirits lift. It is a very therapeutic answer.''
Mr Plowman's wife of 35 years, Aniele, also a passionate supporter of euthanasia, said it was outrageous the government was trying to make things harder for the elderly. ``It is amazing how much tougher politicians make life for people already in tough positions. They should just butt out.''
Penguin Publisher Bob Sessions said they took up the book because it was a topic of potential interest to everyone: ``As in we are all going to die.'' He said he also had a personal interest, as he had watched his own son die in agony from cancer. He said the law prevented them from publishing a recipe on how to make the ``peaceful'' pill. ``I personally believe it is an option that should be there for people,'' he said.
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