Opposition to 'cruel' NSW VAD bill grows
Eighteen of the state's most influential medical, legal and seniors’ rights groups have signed a statement condemning a bill that seeks to restrict access to voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in aged care.
The 18 organisations represent doctors, nurses and paramedics as well as lawyers and seniors’ rights advocates. They include the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, Australian Paramedics Association, COTA NSW, Seniors Rights Service and the Australian Lawyers Alliance.
The statement, spearheaded by Go Gentle Australia and Dying with Dignity NSW, urges NSW Upper House members to protect an older person’s right to access VAD, no matter where they call home.
“We urge the NSW Upper House to vote against the Voluntary Assisted Dying Amendment (Residential Facilities) Bill 2025,” the groups say in the statement.
If passed, the bill would allow aged care providers to prevent residents from accessing VAD in their facilities – even though Australian law recognises these to be residents’ own homes.
“The bill would mean dying people are forced to find alternative accommodation and care when they need support the most," the groups write.
“In states where providers do not have obligations under VAD legislation, residents have been forced to move facilities in their final days and weeks. This inflicts stress, anxiety and harm on elderly people in aged care and rolls back carefully crafted rights in the NSW VAD Act.
“It’s a retrograde step for NSW and undermines rights guaranteed in Australia’s aged care framework.”
If you live in NSW, please email your Upper House representatives and ask them to abandon Liberal MLC Susan Carter's cruel and divisive Bill. It's easy and takes just 2 mins.
The statement lists 5 reasons why the bill must not succeed:
- The bill contradicts rights enshrined in federal laws and is constitutionally invalid.
- Forcing dying people to transfer to alternative facilities has the potential to causes serious harm and exacerbates suffering.
- Aged Care is a person’s home. People have a right to access legal medical choices in the privacy of their own home.
- People in rural and regional areas, where choice of Aged Care is limited, will be most severely impacted.
- The surprise bill pre-empts and undermines the statutory review of the NSW VAD law, which begins next month.
Go Gentle Australia’s CEO Dr Linda Swan said the number of signatories across multiple sectors showed that opposition to the bill was widespread and growing.
“Susan Carter and her co-sponsors must immediately withdraw this ill-conceived and highly divisive bill.
"The people of NSW have made it clear they will not stand by and see the rights of religious organisations trump those of dying people.”