Dr. Laura Chapman:

It is very important for New Zealanders to know that the law was written as if conscientious objection was a binary choice. That is not how it has evolved in practice for the clinicians involved. That is an important thing to consider. It is much more about a spectrum of involvement. Some people choose to have absolutely no involvement. Some choose to be assisted dying providers, particularly within a care home or within a general practice, or a specialist who might contribute to my opinion or staff in a hospital where assisted dying is provided. There is a level of involvement. I do not think conscientious objection is simply a case of one being in or out. We need to consider the choices that people and staff bring to that across a spectrum.