This article contains distressing content.
No matter what legacy we seek to create, none of us gets to control how it is understood.
This struck me over the weekend as I read the tributes to former federal minister Kevin Andrews, who died of cancer last Friday.
From across the political spectrum, they came to praise the “father of the House”. Fulsome tributes flowed: Of a man “devoted to his country, family, and faith, [who] lived a life of service”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has offered a state funeral, eulogised Andrews’ “old school” values.
Former PM, Tony Abbott described his “human decency and common sense”, and also his commitment, as a devout Catholic, to “the sanctity of life”.
I don’t seek to belittle any of those tributes. A life of service to the community deserves recognition and plaudits.
However, if a man’s legacy is to be understood, it deserves to be considered in full. And, with Kevin Andrews, there is a dark side which needs to be understood as well.
It was Andrews who, in 1996, brought forward a bill to repeal the Northern Territory’s world-first assisted dying legislation, the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act.
Encouraged by then PM John Howard, and also then opposition leader Kim Beazley, Andrews (in concert with rising Labor star Tony Burke) led what respected political journalist Michael Gordon described at the time as a “subterranean catholic conspiracy”, to override the will of the Northern Territory’s democratically elected Parliament.
He took away the rights of terminally ill Territorians to choose not to suffer at the end of their lives.
What did this mean? Eighteen years after Andrews’ legislative coup, John Baylis, an 83-year-old Darwin man, kept a diary on Facebook as he died of Motor Neurone Disease, a disease also known as “The Beast”. Baylis was living the nightmare that Andrews’ actions had made unavoidable, and he knew it:
Dec 15, 2014 — Imagine if you can , a good mind , with good recall and an active imagination , trapped in a body that can’t walk , can’t talk , both arms and hands affected , lips , and throat not under control . Difficulty eating and drinking . Just take a moment please , and really put yourself in my position . It is an awful place to be , believe me .
What then , do I have to look forward to ? palliative care ? that scares the shit out of me . Can’t eat ? so they’ll feed you through a tube , can’t drink , another tube . They will save your body without dignity , but what about the healthy mind that is trapped inside , until it escapes the efforts to keep the body alive , by dying .
Dec 20 — I am John Baylis MND sufferer . Have a look at my profile , and imagine the monster inside me , is inside you .
Dec 26 — I waited too long , letting others fight for this Voluntary Euthanasia to be made law . Discriminatory politicians , make their policies on VE , following the religious lobby , all the time knowing , that if needed , they are wealthy enough , to fly to an enlightened country and use the ” Dying with Dignity ” program over there
Dec 28 — This is a real bad day for me , possibly the worst yet . I have deteriorated more overnight , my poor family are doing it hard . I so wish for a peaceful exit . VE if established now , would have eased my suffering . Make sure it’s there when you , or your loved ones might need it .
Jan 1 — I’m hitting the bottom of the barrel today , Got to hang up guys ,thank you all , and may Kevin Andrews and all religious extremists rot in my hell.
Jan 4 — The m on szter is too smmmart it hhas taken my in dex finnger ojuuft now . mmmy typing fi nnger
Jan 5 — How can they do this to us ?? IIt’s inhumane and so blloody cruuel . I’m suffering so badly ,,, I dreeammm of relleeeease .
Jan 5 — Carlene-Baylis Webb I’m signing because my father is suffering. He is in his final stages of Motor Neurone Disease. It has slowly taken everything from him, his dignity, his mobility and now he is unable to communicate with his loved ones. He can hardly eat and drink, palliative is NOT an option he wants to die peacefully at home with his wife and children supporting him in his plight. He wants to end this suffering he is being made to endure and advocates the right to die with dignity. We love you dad XO
Jan 10 — the mmonsttter goot both hhha ndds nnow , allll fkkkkkiingers afffecctted i think iiitxsss trying to stop mecommuniicatng ,, immm msurrrrrrre ittts evil and intellliiiigent … what you reckon kkev in a nndreews ? cooould you hhhhhhan dlle this ,,,,,,, yoou cruuuell bastaedddddd ? oor would you pprrrrrrefffer to die wiiith dignkkkity
Jan 13 — i thik this my “la s t Post” thamk you all wondnerfull suppo rtner s of mys elf and V E , wheen i pass i’d like our kid s and grandkids to jhave dign/ity in death.
Feb 23 — Message from JB added here by his kids:
Facebook friends, I have reached the end of my journey. Talk to my kids Carlene, Clint and Kelly if you would like to find out any updates. Please, don’t forget my fight for VE! JB x
Mar 8 — Finally, in words dad would have used…… DAMN YOU TO HELL Kevin Andrews.
No-one knows how many Territorians died, suffering needlessly like John, in the 27 years since Kevin Andrews took away their right to choose a more merciful end.
There is no record of how many ended up taking their own lives in the face of untreatable suffering, just as parliamentary inquiries ahead of voluntary assisted dying (VAD) laws in other states revealed.
And no survey exists to capture the scars carried by the families, doctors and nurses, forced to watch the people in their care suffer while they could do nothing.
This, too, is Kevin Andrews’ legacy.
Because of him, Territorians today are still denied the right to avoid suffering like John Baylis’.
It is a powerful reminder of what happens when faith drives public policy, regardless of evidence, need, or democratic process.
Kevin Andrews was not the first of his kind, and certainly not the last.
We must always be on watch for those in power who, marching under the banner of “mercy”, use that power to act without it.
Let this, too, be the legacy we take from the life of Kevin Andrews.
For anyone seeking help, Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue is on 1300 22 4636. To speak to a First Nations crisis supporter, call 13 YARN (13 9276). In an emergency, call 000.
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