Monday 13 November 2017

The Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill is expected to be debated on Thursday in the Legislative Council. I’ve worked on the bill with Trevor Khan (Nationals), Lynda Voltz (Labor), Mehreen Faruqi (Greens) and Lee Evans (Liberal) to develop a scheme that would allow terminally ill adults over 25 who are experiencing significant suffering at the end of their life to get assistance to die. The bill has strong safeguards to ensure no-one will be coerced into seeking assistance and has extensive oversight.

If the bill passes the Legislative Council, it will go to the Legislative Assembly the following week. While international models show only a small number of people end up using assisted dying, we know that the option provides many people who are dying with relief that they have an option if suffering gets too severe. See the report in Central Sydney magazine HERE. 

Recently Victoria’s Parliament passed similar laws, which is a great win for compassion. The bill still has to go through the committee stages where it could be changed before a final version is voted on.