The last time Baldivis MP Reece Whitby saw his cousin Darren was at their grandmother’s 100th birthday.

West Australian Mining and Pastoral Region MP Robin Chapple became a champion of assisted dying laws after the prolonged death from lung cancer of his beloved mother.

My mother Valma Wolf was fit and healthy, played sport every day, worked hard, saved her money and had just started retirement when she was diagnosed with cancer. She was given a number of months to live, but she lived longer than that and it’s fair to say she wasn’t pleased when she kept waking up every morning because she had absolutely had enough.

As a palliative care nurse, I am asked to end a patient’s life about twice a year – about 40 people so far. I consider it a privilege that these people felt safe and comfortable enough to ask me this difficult question. I have never done so as I do not think it is my place, I do not have the right medications and it is not legal.