Wagga independent MP Joe McGirr says he will carefully examine a new assisted dying bill that could force his first vote on the euthanasia issue since taking office.
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Dr McGirr has previously said he was opposed to assisted dying after it was legalised in Victoria, and maintained that position this week ahead of being given the chance to read a new proposed bill.
"[Sydney independent MP Alex Greenwich] has offered to give us a briefing on it so I will be meeting with him at some point to discuss it and to look at the bill and I will look at it carefully," Dr McGirr said.
"I think people are aware of my views about this but I will be examining the bill."
Mr Greenwich plans to introduce the bill into Parliament in August and said he hoped to see MPs vote on it in September or October.
Dr McGirr said in 2019 that he did not support euthanasia as he was in favour of relieving suffering, but did not see it as an appropriate way to address that issue.
Starting from today, Dr McGirr is likely to face an escalating campaign across his own electorate from assisted dying groups, starting with a Dying with Dignity community stall in Tumut.
The group pointed to an ABC Vote Compass survey projection that 82 per cent of Wagga voters agreed "terminally ill patients should be able to end their own lives with medical assistance".
Dying with Dignity NSW vice-president Shayne Higson said supporters in the Wagga electorate were planning to continue holding events ahead of any vote in Parliament.
"They will hold a community stall in Batlow in coming weeks, COVID rules permitting, and will hold another community stall in the city of Wagga, probably in August," Ms Higson said.
The NSW parliament previously debated an assisted dying bill in 2017 and it was defeated by one vote in the upper house.
Mr Greenwich said his office was next to Dr McGirr's in Parliament House and he was sure they would soon discuss the bill.
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"Regardless of whether he ends up opposing the bill or not, I do want to hear his concerns," he said.
Mr Greenwich said the bill would take an "extremely conservative approach" and had protections for both religious entities and people with a conscientious objection.
"For example there will be protections for aged care homes and hospitals who do not wish to participate in voluntary assisted dying and for any health worker or medical practitioner," he said.
Dr McGirr said it was difficult to comment on any exemptions without reading the text of the proposed bill.
"My understanding is that other states' legislation has included [religious exemptions]. It would be pretty poor if it wasn't in the legislation," Dr McGirr said.
When asked about the potential for compromises, Mr Greenwich said he was open to feedback from his fellow elected representatives.
"For me, it is critically important that if there are safeguards or protections that need to go into the legislation, that they are genuine ones and they are ones that are not designed to frustrated a person's access to assisted dying," he said.
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