Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Later in the programme we'll be picking up the gauntlet thrown down by veteran British government advisor Baroness Warnock who thinks people with dementia may have a 'moral duty to die'. But first up we join a couple of the self taught artists who're regular exhibitors at Vincents Art space

Veteran British Government advisor Baroness Warnock has talked up a storm with her comments on people with dementia. According to the Baroness, they may have a 'moral duty to die' so as not to be a burden on their families or the national health service. That view got nationwide attention in the UK. But if hadn't been for a local medical ethics expert in this country it might well have slipped under the radar here. Doctor Phillipa Malpas is a lecturer in clinical medical ethics at Auckland University. In a paper to last year's gerontology conference she asked the question: 'do people with dementia have a moral duty to die? Phillipa Malpas thinks that while people might've found even asking the question offensive, she believes it's necessary to put Warnock's views to the test.