AT LAST! A long-awaited voluntary assisted dying (VAD) bill has been introduced to the Northern Territory parliament. The NT government will debate the bill in late-August 2026.
To get this VAD law passed we need your help
If you live in the Northern Territory, take action today. Please contact your local politician and urge them to back the bill.
Here are the details for your local MLA:
Or use our emailing tool! Just click the orange button below, enter your address and we'll automatically find their contact details.
The MLAs need reassurance that their constituents support them in this history-making reform.
Also, ask them to remove the ‘gag clause’ which restricts doctors' conversations about VAD, and which is opposed by leading medical groups. Also ask them to remove the unnecessary 12-month time frame to death.
Other ways you can help
Complete the survey
Dr Tanzil Rahman, Member for Fong Lim, is running a survey to gather views on support for VAD legislation for the NT. The survey will close on 21 August 2026 and is primarily aimed to capture the views of Fong Lim residents, though others are welcome to contribute. Click this link to complete the survey
Share your story with us
Politicians care about you, the voters. If you feel comfortable, please share your story of why you want the law to change on VAD. It might be a personal experience, or perhaps you saw a loved one die badly. In other states, these stories have been the single most effective way to influence politicians. If you're struggling to get started, read our Guide to Telling Your Story.
About the bill
The NT was the first in the the world to have a VAD law in 1995, before it was overturned by the federal parliament. Its now the only Australian jurisdiction without end-of-life choice.
Named in honour of the 1995 law – the Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill will bring the Territory in line with the rest of the country in making VAD a legal end-of-life choice.
The bill is not perfect – it contains a ‘gag clause’ which means a doctor cannot initiate a conversation about VAD, and a timeframe to death. Both elements were recommended against by the government’s own parliamentary inquiry.
Introduced by Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby, the bill will progress to a final debate in August 25-27.
As Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said, "This is a defining moment for the Territory….”
Urge your local MP to back the Bill
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