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'There's a sanctity of life argument' - Simon Bridges still doesn't support euthanasia bill, despite pleas from Tauranga constituents

March 5, 2018

Mr Bridges said he did not support the bill from David Seymour - and admitted he was in the minority.

National Party leader Simon Bridges says he still does not support a bill which would grant people the right to request euthanasia, saying "there is a sanctity of life argument".

The End of Life Choice Bill passed a conscience vote in Parliament 74 to 44, and its stated intent is to give people "with a terminal illness or a grievous and irremediable medical condition the option of requesting assisted dying".

It has reached the select committee stage, with public submissions due to close tomorrow and a report due on September 27.

Mr Bridges, who is the son of a Baptist minister and deeply religious himself, this morning told TVNZ 1's Breakfast programme that he had voted against the bill.

He admitted that he was "a minority on that" but said he holds concerns around the safeguards which would be put in place for those requesting euthanasia, and also said he believes "a lot of doctors are worried about playing God".

Mr Bridges said people from his Tauranga electorate had "come to me who have suffered and do want the right to die", but said "there's a sanctity of life argument" for him.

He also voted against the gay marriage legalisation bill, but has since said he would probably change his vote on that if it were done today.

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