Vic: Nitschke vows he is no criminal

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-1999
Vic: Nitschke vows he is no criminal

MELBOURNE, April 15 AAP - Australian euthanasia campaigner Dr Philip Nitschke said it was
ludicrous that his actions could be construed as encouraging people to obtain illegal drugs.

Dr Nitschke was speaking after he revealed yesterday that he had received a letter from the
Victorian Government Solicitor (VGS) Ronald Beazley asking for an explanation over public
comments in which he allegedly encouraged people to obtain drugs to be used for committing
suicide.

The letter did not allege criminal conduct.

"It just seems ludicrous to me that by providing patients with accurate, honest and open
information so that they can make choices could be construed as encouraging people to obtain
illegal drugs," Dr Nitscke said on the ABC's AM radio program today.

"I just think this is an amazing construct that seems to be levelled at me purely because
it would seem on the basis of the timing of this, because I announced the intention to set up
a clinic in Melbourne."

Dr Nitschke said no crime had been committed in what he was doing and was adamant the
investigation would not lead to criminal charges.

"It is not behaving in an unprofessional way to give patients the truth and that's the
point I'll be persisting with."

Australian Medical Association Victorian president Gerald Segal, who is driving the
complaint, said it was lodged in November when Dr Nitschke planned to opened his clinic in
Melbourne.

"Our complaint is specifically at the fact that he is going to set up a clinic to give
advice on how to purchase drugs, the type of drugs and how to administer them - not that he's
going to administer them himself, because he's stated that he isn't, but basically that he's
giving that sort of advice.

"He's effectively performing euthanasia by proxy."

Dr Segal said it was illegal to kill people and it was a fine point of law to what he was
saying.

"All the evidence comes out Dr Nitscke's own mouth...that he's setting up such clinics,
that he's been giving advice on how to purchase the drugs, how to use the drugs so that you
can kill yourself."

Dr Segal said it was a matter for Medical Practitioners Board whether he would be
deregistered.

"I personally would like to see Dr Nitschke pull back from what he's doing and start to
practise good palliative care," he said.

AAP cmc/er/kr

KEYWORD: DIE NITSCHKE VIC

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