The Northern Territory remains the only Australian jurisdiction without access to voluntary assisted dying (VAD).

This is despite the Territory being the first jurisdiction in the world to legalise assisted dying via a private member's bill in 1995. The law was subsequently overturned by the federal parliament two years later. 

The NT's right to make laws about assisted dying was restored in December 2022, when the Australian Parliament passed the Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022.

In 2023, the NT Government assembled an Expert Advisory Panel to consider the legalisation of VAD in the Territory. Led by co-chairs The Hon Vicki O’Halloran AO CVO and Duncan McConnel SC, the panel recommended the NT government draft a VAD bill to bring the Territory in line with the rest of the country.

The NT government is yet to initiate a VAD bill.