I'm Trish Doyle and I'm the Member for Blue
Mountains. I'm here today with Anne Gabrielides
who has become the face of the Dying with
Dignity and the Change.org campaign to support
the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill in the NSW
Parliament.
I was really overcome with compassion and
support when I first met Anne, and her story,
and she has written to me the most powerful
words, which I think are really important
for people to hear in this campaign.
And to support her and to support Paul, her
husband, who supports her, and who is working
hard on this campaign, I want to give voice
to to Anne's words, to her thoughts, to her
plea to people to consider the importance
of supporting this Bill.
So, Anne writes:
"Trish, of all people, you will understand
the value that your voice has in your job.
You use your voice to convince, negotiate
with, and inspire your audience to follow
your lead"
"Similarly, my job up until a year ago was
to convince, negotiate and inspire the parents
of deaf children so that they could teach
their children how to listen, learn and realise
their potential"
"Our voice, yours and mine, convey many years
of learning and experience, and now mine has
gone."
"My voice is not the only thing I have lost,
but I am not going to take your time or my
time complaining about the things I have lost,
because they're gone and not going to return."
"I am here to ask you to support this Bill
that will be introduced into Parliament to
let me end my life if and when I choose. I
have accepted the fact that this disease is
going to win."
"But I can guarantee you that I am going to
win some battles along the way."
"As my son put it so elegantly, there is no
way that I will leave anything behind, nothing
in reserve. I want to enjoy every second,
every glass of wine, and every kiss."
"But I want to win the last battle and die
with dignity on my terms,
when I am good and ready."
"Throughout my career as a teacher of the
deaf, I've had a huge impact on the lives
of my students, and the lives of their families
and I ask you, Trish, to put your voice to
my final challenge."
"I want you to be my voice"
"Like you, I don't shy away from challenges
that are hard, they just make me more determined."
"Trish, I want you to champion the Voluntary
Assisted Dying Bill 2017."
"Take a deep breath, and just do it. Get it
through."
"I have always given and when I can't give
any more and the tank is dry,
I want to go with dignity."
