The Queensland Parliament has passed voluntary assisted dying laws, leaving New South Wales as the only state without a compassionate framework to help people at the end stage of a terminal illness who are experiencing intolerable suffering get assistance to die at a time of their choosing surrounded by loved ones.

See the reports in the Sydney Morning Herald > HERE and ABC > HERE.

I plan to introduce my Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021 in Parliament when it resumes in October. The bill is consistent with other states in what is being called the ‘Australian model’, with some minor changes to reflect the different nature of the state and consultation with stakeholders and members of Parliament.

COVID-19 has not stopped people from being diagnosed with a terminal illness or experiencing bad deaths and it is time that we show people facing horrific diagnosis and prognosis news the compassion they want. Australia has a world-class palliative care system but it cannot relieve all suffering for all people.

Dying with Dignity NSW will be leading the campaign to get the bill passed in New South Wales and I encourage you to link up with the campaign > HERE.

Join the Older Women’s Network voluntary assisted dying conversation ‘Freedom to Choose - moving towards a compassionate solution to an unbearable end’ with Caroline Baum, Elizabeth Evatt, Dimity Pond and Andrew Denton 10.30-11.30am Thursday 23 September > HERE.