The first Australian Capital Territory voluntary assisted dying bill in more than 25 years was tabled in the ACT's Legislative Assembly on 31 October 2023.

This became possible when the Commonwealth lifted the ban on territories making laws about assisted dying in December 2022.

The ACT's bill reflects the Australian model in many ways though it also introduces three new features:

• no specific timeframe until death

• nurse practitioners can be involved in assessing eligibility

• protections for patients in institutions that object to voluntary assisted dying

A 5-member parliamentary committee will now examine the bill and report back by 25 February 2024. ACT lawmakers will then debate the bill which, if passed, could come into effect by the end of 2025.