NSW moves a step closer to compassion and choice
On 26 November 2021 the NSW Lower House passed the Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) Bill 2021 by 52 votes to 32. The bill now moves to the Upper House for a final vote in 2022.
It was a historic moment – the furthest a VAD bill has ever progressed in NSW. We now move a step closer to joining every other State in passing an assisted dying law.
The final vote came this afternoon after a debate on more than 160 amendments, most proposed by opponents. Thankfully, most were voted down and the bill has survived unscathed.
While today’s result is a cause for celebration, we still have a long way to go.
The bill now moves to the Upper House for an Inquiry, where the numbers are incredibly tight.
The Inquiry committee will consider submissions over the end-of-year break and hold public hearings throughout December, before handing down its report early next year.
The good news is the strong majority in the Lower House sends a strong message to the Upper House not to vote down or tamper with the bill.
For now, we can celebrate! Congratulations to everyone who has campaigned so hard to reach this stage: a special thank you goes to Dying With Dignity NSW, who have led an incredible grass roots campaign in every corner of the state; those of you who have shared your story or contacted your MP; and everyone who wrote a submission to the parliamentary inquiry.
We are closer than ever to seeing NSW join other states in offering people with a terminal illness a more compassionate choice at the end of life.
The tally of the final vote was as follows:
52 AYES
|
Aitchison, J |
Greenwich, A |
Piper, G |
|
Anderson, K |
Griffin, J |
Provest, G |
|
Barilaro, J |
Gulaptis, C |
Saffin, J |
|
Bromhead, S |
Hancock, S |
Saunders, D |
|
Butler, R |
Harris, D |
Scully, P |
|
Car, P |
Harrison, J |
Sidgreaves, P |
|
Catley, Y |
Haylen, J |
Singh, G |
|
Constance, A |
Hazzard, B |
Smith, T |
|
Cooke, S |
Hoenig, R |
Stokes, R |
|
Coure, M |
Hornery, S |
Tesch, L |
|
Crakanthorp, T |
Leong, J |
Tuckerman, W |
|
Crouch, A (teller) |
Lynch, P |
Voltz, L |
|
Daley, M |
Marshall, A |
Ward, G |
|
Dalton, H |
Mehan, D |
Washington, K |
|
Dominello, V |
O'Neill, M |
Watson, A (teller) |
|
Donato, P |
Park, R |
Williams, L |
|
Doyle, T |
Parker, J |
Wilson, F |
|
Evans, L |
|
|
32 NOES
|
Atalla, E |
Kamper, S |
Preston, R |
|
Bali, S |
Lalich, N |
Roberts, A |
|
Chanthivong, A |
Layzell, D |
Sidoti, J |
|
Clancy, J |
Lee, G |
Smith, N (teller) |
|
Conolly, K |
Lindsay, W |
Speakman, M |
|
Cotsis, S |
McGirr, J |
Taylor, M |
|
Davies, T |
Mihailuk, T |
Toole, P |
|
Dib, J |
Minns, C |
Upton, G |
|
Finn, J |
Pavey, M |
Williams, R |
|
Gibbons, M |
Perrottet, D |
Zangari, G (teller) |
|
Henskens, A |
Petinos, E |
|
* Mr J O'Dea was in the chair.