Health Minister Hames helped patient die

As the euthanasia bill is debated in the West Australian parliament, state Health
Minister Dr Kim Hames has revealed he helped a terminally ill patient die with a
lethal dose of morphine.
Debate on the Voluntary Euthanasia Bill in the state's upper house began on Tuesday
afternoon after Premier Colin Barnett and Opposition Leader Eric Ripper allowed a
conscience vote on the issue.
If passed by parliament, WA would be the first state in Australia to legalise
euthanasia.
The private members bill, introduced by Greens MP Robin Chapple, would allow any
terminally-ill West Australian over the age of 21 and of "sound mind" to elect to be
euthanased.
Any euthanasia request would have to be assessed by two independent and experienced
doctors before a third reviews the case and administers euthanasia.
Speaking to ABC radio on Wednesday, Dr Hames, who is opposed to euthanasia, said he
had helped a patient pass away by issuing a strong dose of morphine.
"I warned the family that the dose of painkiller that I was about to administer was
a respiratory suppressant, can stop that patient breathing," he said.
"Did they want me to do that? Did the patient want me to do that?
"The patient and the family said yes, so I administered that dose of painkiller."
Dr Hames said his actions were legal and rejected any notion that the incident was
euthanasia.
"What I did was give pain relief, and the side effect of that pain relief resulted
in that patient dying then rather than in half an hour's time," he said.
"That's very different to me putting in a drip and administering a concoction of
drugs deliberately to take the life of that patient."
A vote on the bill is expected on Thursday.