Professor Robert Landers:

I will answer Deputy Kenny directly. It is not just about patients. Obviously patients are the central part of what we are discussing today but we must also look at the role of the medical practitioners. This is where our association comes in. Safeguards must be built into any legislation that is introduced in order to protect the role of the medical practitioner who will, at the end of the day, ultimately be central in the process.

This may relate also to the previous Senator's question on audit. I believe it is not so much about audit and looking at what was administered and when it was administered, but the decision making behind the decision in the first place. That must be very carefully monitored. It must have independent oversight so everybody in the process, the medical practitioner, the patient and the family must be protected in any legislation.