April 3, 2014
Philip Nitschke tips a full house at Newcastle Writers Festival
EXIT International director Philip Nitschke will demonstrate emerging techniques that allow the elderly and seriously ill to achieve a peaceful death, at a workshop in Newcastle on Monday.
Dr Nitschke said he was expecting an enthusiastic response to the Exit euthanasia workshop following his participation at the Newcastle Writers Festival being held at City Hall over the weekend.
In one of two sessions that Dr Nitschke is involved with at the festival, he will talk about the consequences of having a “dangerous idea”.
“To talk openly about the means to achieve a peaceful and reliable suicide is considered by some to be such a dangerous idea that they will attempt to have me silenced by having my medical registration cancelled,” Dr Nitschke said.
He was referring to attempts by the Medical Board of Australia to have him deregistered for “normalising suicide” after a talk he gave to medical staff at a Perth hospital last month.
Dr Nitschke talked about the practicalities of self-help voluntary euthanasia methods, and the head of the pain management department immediately made a complaint to the medical board.
“Exit has held workshops in Newcastle for many years now and we always attract a full house,” he said.
“People from the Hunter seem to have no problem in calling a spade a spade. The retirees of the region seem always eager to come along and learn.”
Material to be discussed at the workshop will include home-testing of the purity of euthanasia drugs.
Dr Nitschke will also discuss the use of nitrogen gas. A shipment of nitrogen cylinders has been sent to Newcastle for the workshop.
Attendance at the Newcastle Exit euthanasia workshop, to be held at Panthers from 10am to 1pm, is restricted to those aged over 50 years and the seriously ill.