Gillard's conflict on euthanasia more than justified

This perhaps explains why when asked about his most controversial view of all - that the "peaceful pill" should be made available to anyone including troubled teenagers - Nitschke did not back away.

"That is what I said, basically, that rational adults have a right to a peaceful death. It turns out that you can be an adult or a teenager and it turns out that you can be rational and troubled." (p.114)

The Tasmanian politicians quizzing Nitschke last August have unmasked the real agenda of euthanasia fundamentalists such as Nitschke and Bob Brown and it goes way beyond the "rights of the terminally ill".

It is about legislatively institutionalising assisted suicide - no questions asked - as a way of escape from ones' troubles. As we've seen in the Netherlands it can also lead to vulnerable people being euthanised without their consent.

Having failed to convince politicians in four Australian State Parliaments over the past two years, Nitschke and Brown want to change the law because they have more chance of manipulating the outcomes in the smaller single chamber Territory assemblies. Let's face it, you only need to con nine people in the ACT Assembly to get a majority and 22 million Australians are at risk.

This is a dangerous agenda and Julia Gillard is right to be cautious.