VAD law 'positive for the Canberra community'
An update on the operation of voluntary assisted dying in the ACT reveals 14 Canberrans have accessed a compassionate and dignified death in the first three months.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith told the Legislative Assembly 87 people had registered with the voluntary assisted dying (VAD) service, 43 had been assessed as eligible and 14 had died after taking an approved VAD substance.
The figures were contained in an update to the ACT Legislative Assembly on VAD, which became available on 3 November, 2025.
Minister Stephen-Smith said the VAD Care Navigation Service had received almost 1500 contacts by phone, and recorded almost 90 enquiries for information and support to access VAD in the ACT.
Of the 87 people who registered for VAD services in the first three months:
- 55% were male and 45% were female, with a median age of 74.5 years;
- the youngest person was 43 and the oldest person was 103. More than 40% of those seeking VAD were aged 80 or older; and
- the most common underlying condition was cancer, appearing at almost twice the rate of any other medical condition – consistent with trends in other Australian jurisdictions.
"These numbers tell us that Canberrans are receiving access to the community supports, information and guidance they need, and that the people who wish to access voluntary assisted dying are able to do so without unnecessary barriers," the Minister said.
She said the ACT had established a "capable and committed workforce to deliver VAD in a safe and compassionate way" and that Canberrans can be "proud of the compassionate, safe and carefully governed service that has been established in these early months".
To date, 36 practitioners had completed the mandatory training and were authorised to perform VAD functions, the Minister said. Of these, 15 were doctors and five were nurse practitioners.
A further 16 registered nurses were approved to administer the VAD substance.
"This early data is validating the ACT’s progressive legislation enabling eligible nurse practitioners to work to their full scope of practice," Minister Stephen-Smith said.
"Nurse practitioners have undertaken more than half of all coordinating practitioner responsibilities and 35 per cent of consulting practitioner assessments – indicating their critically important contribution to the ACT voluntary assisted dying workforce and enabling timely access.
"All the feedback I have received indicates that the first three months of voluntary assisted dying operating in the ACT have been positive for the Canberra community."
Read the Minister's full statement.
Read the story in the Canberra Times.
Learn more about VAD in the ACT