According to theNZ First Bay of Plenty newsletter, Winston Peters thinks TVNZ Colmar Brunton opinion polls are ‘a sham, designed to be misleading and favour the National Party”.

Two months ago TVNZ ONE, on its 6pm Sunday night news claimed 63 per cent of New Zealanders favour medically assisted euthanasia according to its latest Colmar Brunton opinion poll.

This is not correct. A huge written response of 78 per cent – or 16,000 – sent to the Health Committee the ‘Petition 2014/18 of Hon Maryan Street on behalf of 8974 others' opposed legalised euthanasia. Oral submissions were also around 77 per cent against legalisation

Yet in my oral submission over the telephone, Health Select Committee chair and Tamaki MP Simon O' Connor three times would not answer my question: ‘Why does the committee's report to Parliament not be an emphatic rejection of a change to the law because of the above written and oral results?'

Simon Bridges last year also did his own local opinion poll of legalization of euthanasia with two-thirds in favour.

This issue must never come down to a parliamentary conscience vote - remember the anti-smacking conscience vote? But if needs be, put to a national referendum.

H Rhodes, Tauranga City.