Advice for submitters – August 2015

1.       Anybody can make a submission on our petition. It can be as short or as long as you like. You can email it to Parliament or send it by post. It is most effective when told in your own words, so this guide will not give you formulaic statements to repeat. It will however help you to say what you want to say and tell you how to submit your submission.

2.       Remember that the words of the petition were: 

“That the House of Representatives investigate fully public attitudes towards the introduction of legislation which would permit medically-assisted dying in the event of terminal illness or an irreversible condition which makes life unbearable.” 

3.       Here are the instructions from the Clerk of the Health Select Committee: 

The petition asks for a change to existing law. Therefore the committee will undertake an investigation into ending one’s life in New Zealand. In order to fully understand public attitudes the committee will consider all the various aspects of the issue, including the social, legal, medical, cultural, financial, ethical, and philosophical implications.
 
The Committee will investigate: 1. The factors that contribute to the desire to end one’s life. 2. The effectiveness of services and support available to those who desire to end their own lives. 3. The attitudes of New Zealanders towards the ending of one's life and the current legal situation. 4. International experiences.
 
The committee will seek to hear from all interested groups and individuals.
 
The committee requires 2 copies of each submission if made in writing. Those wishing to include any information of a private or personal nature in a submission should first discuss this with the clerk of the committee, as submissions are usually released to the public by the committee. Those wishing to appear before the committee to speak to their submissions should state this clearly and provide a daytime telephone contact number. To assist with administration please supply your postcode and an email address if you have one.

4.       Be clear about the point you want to make. Pin your points to one or more of the terms of reference numbered 1-4, referred to in the paragraphs above. You don’t have to answer every possible question or state every possible argument. The fact that you have chosen to put in a submission is demonstration enough of your concern about this issue. Lots of other people will be doing the same and will cover the ground you choose not to address.
 
5.       If you feel able to, tell a story. MPs may take issue with your arguments, but they cannot deny your life experience. Numbers of submissions are going to be important as well as the quality of them. You might say something like:

“I believe people have a right to determine how and when they die under certain circumstances and with appropriate safeguards. I have come to this conviction through watching my mother die badly……..”  (or whatever your own story is).

Or you might simply say: 

“I wish to register my strong support for assisted dying for people who are terminally ill or whose irreversible condition makes their life unbearable.” And leave it at that. 

6.       You do not have to appear before the select committee. MPs will receive your submission anyway. You need to say clearly in your submission that you wish to appear before the committee to speak to it, if you do. You should provide a name, daytime phone number and email address so the clerk can contact you. If you do wish to appear and speak to the committee in person, you can do so by turning up at a time arranged with the clerk of the committee, or by telephone or audio-visual link. If there are a lot of submitters who wish to present to the committee, they may select some whom they consider to be representative of the respective arguments.
 
7.       The closing date for submissions is: MONDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2016.
 
8.       Submissions should be made either online using the Parliamentary website (www.parliament.nz) or in writing to this address:
 
Health Committee, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160.
 
The clerk of the committee is Charlotte Yeabsley () and she can be contacted on  or .
 
9.       Here are some helpful Parliamentary websites to guide your submission writing:                      

https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involved/

https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/make-a-submission/

Good luck!

Maryan Street

VES Honorary member

 

Appendix

Below is the last page of Parliament’s booklet “Making a Submission to a Parliamentary select committee”. It provides a format to follow.

Appendix: Suggested submission format

Covering letter

Date                                                                                                                                                      Page number

Submission on the XXX Bill/Inquiry

To the (name of Committee) Committee

Personal details

This submission is from (name of individual/organisation and address).

I/we wish to appear before the committee to speak to my/our submission.

I can be contacted at: (List your daytime contact telephone number and email address or the name, address, contact telephone number; and email address of the contact person for your organisation if different from above).

I/we wish that the following also appear in support of my/our submission: (list names and positions in organisation). 

Submission

If an organisation, give brief details of your organisation’s aims, membership and structure and the people consulted in the preparation of the submission.

I/we wish to make the following comments (general views).

Specific comments (if submitting on an inquiry).

I/we wish to raise the following matters under term of reference 1, term of reference 2, etc (expand on your views and give reasons).

Recommendations 

(List any further recommendations or conclusions you wish the committee to consider. You may wish to restate recommendations mentioned earlier.)