The threat to Queensland's VAD law is real
Former LNP Minister Jann Stuckey believes Queensland's VAD law is under threat from Conservatives who have vowed to overturn the legislation if elected. She tells Andrew Denton what voters need to do to protect end-of-life choice.
A message for Andrew Denton:
Jann Stuckey understands how precious Queensland’s VAD law is.
She's a former nurse and LNP Cabinet Minister who worked hard to see VAD legislation passed in 2021. Now she's battling recurrent pancreatic cancer and has told me Queenslanders are at risk of losing their end-of-life rights.
Conservative ‘Christian-values’ candidates within the LNP and the Katter's Australian Party have said they will seek to overturn the VAD law if elected this month. LNP leader David Crisafulli has refused to say how he would respond if his party were in government.
Go Gentle spoke to Jann to find out what we can do about it. Click the picture below to hear her advice. Watch the full interview with Jann here
David Crisafulli has said that messing with VAD is “not part of the plan”.
But Jann says that's not good enough. She knows the LNP is opposed to end-of-life choice. Of the 30 MPs who voted against VAD in 2021, 23 were from the LNP. Thirteen of those now sit in the LNP shadow cabinet, including their leader, deputy leader, and shadow health minister.
Jann's warning to us is clear:
If they get the majority that I think they’re going to get, we are in really dangerous waters.
“Given the incredible number of far-right leaning Conservatives that look like making up the government, Crisafulli can easily be overturned and overruled, and all it takes is one motion off the floor of the party room.
“It's bloody scary because this is my life and other people's lives.”
We have a chance to save VAD in Queensland so that we and our loved ones have the option - and we can't waste a minute.
1. Contact your candidates and ask them outright — Do you support voluntary assisted dying?
2. Pester them until you get an answer.
3. And when you do, share that information widely — to your friends, family and neighbours, and on social media.
As Jann says, “No wriggle room”. No matter which party they belong to, if they cannot commit and give you a straight answer DO NOT VOTE FOR THEM. Ask your family and friends to do the same.
VAD has only been legal in Queensland for 18 months. In that time more than 1000 terminally ill people have died peacefully and compassionately. That’s 1000 dying people who had a choice not to needlessly suffer.
Our VAD law is too precious to lose. It would be a tragedy if this compassionate choice were now denied because of the hard-line beliefs of a few.
Andrew Denton
P.S We will never stop fighting to protect VAD laws and your right to choice at the end of life. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us continue our work.