Transcript
A couple of hundred people gathered in parliament grounds to speak against the bill.
Parliament's Justice Committee has received thousands of submissions on the proposed legislation and its report released on Tuesday said it's "not workable in its current state".
The committee highlighted "many substantial issues".
The Pacific community highlighted their own.
One of the organisers of the rally, the Reverend Tavita Filemoni from Wellington's Samoan Advisory Council, presented a petition to parliament.
"Most of Pacific people are against this bill and that's what we've done today on their behalf. They cannot all be here, but we're here for them."
A speaker at the rally Dr Luatupu Ioane-Cleverley says the legislation compounds poor health outcomes for the Pacific community.
"The criteria of the bill with terminally ill and remediable conditions, [the] majority of Pacific people fit in that because of the poor health outcomes and die very young."
She says Pacific people already suffer the worst statistics in the New Zealand health system and the bill goes against their culture and traditions.
"Focus on the process of caring and dying rather than the process of euthanasia. You see, caring for the elderly is a gift and is a blessing in the Pacific context, not a burden. And it's very important"
Dr Ioane-Cleverley says it's traditional for Pacific families to look after their own and the government should focus on improving palliative care.
She says it conflicts with the government's stance on suicide prevention.
A rally organiser and spokesperson for the Tongan Methodist community, Lupeti Finau, says they're disappointed at the lack of consultation over the bill.
"We feel excluded, we feel belittled because it's such an important bill. It's a huge bill that will affect our people especially as being one of the most vulnerable with high levels of suicide."
Mr Finau says the lack of talanoa or dialogue with government Pacific MPs has been very frustrating as the bill is coming up to its second reading.
However, the Minister for Pacific Peoples rejects this.
Aupito William Sio says his office had been liaising with rally organisers but they missed their opportunity to make a submission to Parliament's select committee.
He makes the point that this is not a government sponsored bill.
"In terms of our community's view on it, I'm of the firm belief that there'll be strong views who support the sanctity of life, there'll be those other views who believe that we should give the opportunity to those who are feeling the pain of whatever illnesses that they may have."
He says younger community members are increasingly supportive of choice for the terminally ill.
Regardless, the Pacific community represented at parliament is calling on its MP's from across the house to vote against the bill says Lupeti Finau.
"This is our final stand to ensure that it doesn't go any further. From here on, we'd like them to vote, vote no. And that this bill does not see the light of day any further."
His views are echoed by Porirua's Fa'aolataga Leasi who has a message for those supporting the legislation.
"What decision you're making does not fit us: socially, politically, culturally, emotionally, physically. Everything."
The End of Life Care Bill is due in parliament for its second reading in a fortnight.
This is Dominic Godfrey.
