AUSTRALIA MAY PROSECUTE DEATH BAG PURVEYORS

CANBERRA, August 22, 2002 (LSN.ca) – The centre-right Liberal-National federal coalition government has warned that purveyors of the so-called exit bag, who launched their gruesome wares in Australia this week, could face prosecution.  Justice and Customs Minister Chris Ellison reiterated the government’s anti-euthanasia stance, and noted that it was putting resources into trying to discourage suicide, especially among young people. “Aiding, abetting or inciting the killing of a person,” he said, “is a criminal offence in all states and territories.”  But Queensland state premier Peter Beattie reiterated that he doubts the bags can be outlawed. “If the government were to ban the bags it would also have to ban numerous products freely available today which could be used to inflict injury or cause death if consumers used them incorrectly—for example, knives, bricks, razor blades.”  Pro-lifers respond that the bags are made and advertised only for death: “[The bags] would have to be illegal because they’ve been made for a specific purpose of causing a person to suffocate, and they’re being promoted for that purpose,” said Graham Preston of Right to Life Australia.  For CNSNews coverage see:  https://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=ForeignBureausarchive