EOLC Society National President Mary Panko is pleased to announce that Society member Philip Patston is one of only eleven people NZ-wide who has been appointed to the SCENZ group, a statutory consultancy body required by the End of Life Choice Act 2019.

Philip is Managing Director of Diversity New Zealand. His company promotes diversity and belonging as a cultural norm and a force for social improvement. You can read Philip’s post on the EOLC debate here. He debunks a lot of myths.

Philip’s expertise lies in understanding the barriers encountered by the disability community in everyday life and the potential for mandated safeguards to be overlooked due to assumptions too freely given. He has personal experience of living with a disability.

“I’m committed to ensuring disabled people will have the same entitlements and protections as anyone else related to assisted dying,” he says. “Likewise I want to see equity and dignified access for other communities.”

Members of the SCENZ group are appointed for a period of 2 years. Congratulations and thanks, Philip!