Voluntary Assisted Dying allows eligible people – such as those with a terminal illness – to seek medical assistance to end their life. Photo: File.
The Northern Territory has taken another tentative step towards Voluntary Assisted Dying in the Top End with the release of a final report into the development of framework for legislation.
Voluntary Assisted Dying allows eligible people – such as those with a terminal illness – to seek medical assistance to end their life. It is not available in the Northern Territory but it is available in all other Australian states and the ACT.
The report aims to provide information about how Voluntary Assisted Dying might work in the Northern Territory, if a future Territory Government decided to proceed with introducing it.
Chief Minister Eva Lawler said Territorians should be able to make decisions about how they manage the end of their life.
“Voluntary assisted dying is a complex issue and one that needs to be treated with the utmost care and consideration,” she said.
“Territorians – particularly those with terminal and painful conditions – should be able to make decisions around how they manage the end of their life.
“If re-elected, my government will continue to have these conversations and be respectful and compassionate of the different views in the Territory.”
The report – which has 22 recommendations – was developed by an independent expert advisory panel, co-chaired by Vicki O’Halloran AO CVO and Duncan McConnel SC.
Ms Lawler said a re-elected Labor Government was committed to reviewing the recommendations and moving forward with proposed legislation to introduce a Voluntary Assisted Dying scheme. Voluntary Assisted Dying is a conscience issue for all members of the Parliamentary Labor Party.
The panel undertook a wide range of public consultation for Voluntary Assisted Dying from August 2023 to May 2024.
During this period, the panel visited Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine, Alice Springs, Nhulunbuy, Jabiru, Tennant Creek and Wadeye.
Members heard from over 350 individual participants through public forums and meetings, met with around 60 organisations, received 98 written submissions and almost 1400 survey responses.
