An end and a new beginning

The High Court judgment went against Lecretia Searles. Her right to be given assistance to end an unbearable existence is declared to be subject to the Crimes Act. And we now understand that she heard the disappointing news just a few hours before she died.

But the debate she has stirred up is clearly going to continue. There has been huge coverage in the public news media. The End-of-Life-Choice petition is circulating and will be presented to Parliament in a few weeks. And the leader of the ACT party has announced he will draft a private member's bill to go into the Parliamentary ballot box and take its chances of being debated in the context of a conscience vote.

It seems a long road ahead for those of us for whom the issues might become quite sharp and real in the coming months or years. But at least the journey is beginning again.