May 27, 2014
Exit Members Fear Police Raids
The Age Newspaper by Tammy Mills, May 23 2014
Victorian members of a pro-euthanasia group are fearful of police raids after warrants were executed across Australia over the importation of a lethal drug, group head Dr Philip Nitschke says.
Two people, from Western Australia and Queensland, have been charged with importing the illegal drug Nembutal, and state police have spoken to 10 others in WA, Queensland and South Australia in the past month.
Dr Nitschke, director of Exit International, said on Friday morning that the police action had spread a ripple of fear through the group’s 6000 members, which include more than 1000 Victorians.
He said Victorians fear they are on a police hit-list and are concerned that police have accessed the group’s database.
“Victorian members are saying they want to know if their information has been compromised,” he said. “It has caused a lot of alarm.”
Dr Nitschke said the raids may also shut down one of the easiest ways people can access the drug, which is used by veterinarians to put animals down.
He said some of the group’s members were able to order the drug online from a Chinese company and have it mailed to them.
“Members are very keen to access this drug, not because they’re sick, but because they’re getting on in years,” Dr Nitschke said. “They think it’s a very good idea to have this in place in case they might need it, in case they get to the stage where they’re too sick and have to ask their husband or wife to do the ordering and the person assisting can be looking at very serious legal consequences.”
Since the raids, Dr Nitschke said, the Chinese company had stopped supplying to Australia because it’s “not worth it”.
Rupert Ward, 69 of Albany, was charged about a month ago with possessing an illegal drug while Brisbane woman Lynn Afotey-Otu, 64, was charged with importation of the drug on Thursday last week.
Mr Ward will face a WA court next Thursday while Ms Afotey-Otu will face a court in Queensland on June 2.