Tasmania

Hon Mike Gaffney MLC tabled the End-of-Life Choices (Voluntary Assisted Dying) Bill 2020 in the Legislative Council on Thursday 27 August 2020. 

The Second Reading debate will commence on 15 September 2020, and can be live streamed through the Parliament Website, at the following link: 
https://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/Parliament/lctbs.htm.

Tasmanian locals Jac & Nat Gray have driven the Your Choice Tas campaign in Tasmania, in support of their Mum, Diane, who passed away in September 2019 of gastric cancer. Visit the website for their story. Dying with Dignity Tasmania, who have been actively campaigning for years, have also been closely involved. 

How you can help

Contact your Upper House MPs to let them know you want them to support this bill. Not sure who they are? Use our MP Look-up Tool to find them. 

Not sure what to say? Download our Contact your MP pack for some tips.

South Australia

Following the parliament's Inquiry into End of Life Choices, the inquiry committee's final report is due to be tabled by the end of September 2020, with a private members' bill to be introduced not long after.

Angie Miller, who was very active in the campaign in WA, has since moved to South Australia. You can read her story about her Dad, Dusty on our website. Angie is working  with SAVES (South Australia Voluntary Euthanasia Society). They are planning a number of regional events, details of which you can find on Angie's Facebook Page, A Peaceful End.

How you can help

Contact your Upper House MPs to let them know you want them to support voluntary assisted dying law reform.
Not sure who they are? Use our MP Look-up Tool to find them. 

Not sure what to say? Download our Contact your MP pack for some tips.

Queensland

Following the Inquiry into End of Life Choices, the QLD government has referred voluntary assisted dying to the Law Reform Commission, which is due to report in March 2021.

The My Life, My Choice coalition is made up of Dying with Diginity QLD, The Clem Jones Group and Doctors for Assisted Dying Choice. A vocal Facebook page in Queensland is VALE, which is run by Tanya Battel. Queensland nurse Fiona Jacobs runs a valuable page Nurses Supporting Voluntary Assisted Dying.

How you can help

Contact your MPs to let them know you want them to support voluntary assisted dying law reform.
Not sure who they are? Use our MP Look-up Tool to find them. 

Not sure what to say? Download our Contact your MP pack for some tips.

In the state election in October 2020, make sure you check that the candidate you plan to vote for accurately represents your views on end-of-life choices.

NSW

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has made it clear her government would be reluctant to allow debate on VAD in this parliamentary term.

Dying with Diginity NSW remains committed to keeping the conversation going. 

How you can help

Contact your MPs to let them know you want them to support voluntary assisted dying law reform.
Not sure who they are? Use our MP Look-up Tool to find them. 

Not sure what to say? Download our Contact your MP pack for some tips.

Northern Territory / ACT

The Northern Territory passed Australia’s first voluntary assisted dying laws in 1995, only to see them overturned less than two years later by the federal government.
 
Legislation introduced at the time by the Commonwealth stripped the NT and Australian Capital Territory of the right to legislate for themselves on the issue.

ACT Labor MP Tara Cheyne has started a campaign to restore the rights of the territories so they can consider legislation again. The NT's Judy Dent, whose husband Bob was the first person to use the NT laws before they were overturned, runs a Facebook page The Northern Territory Voluntary Euthanasia Society.

How you can help

Sign Tara Cheyne's petition and share it with your friends.

Contact your Federal MPs to let them know you want them to support this Territory Rights. Not sure who they are? Use our MP Look-up Tool to find them. 

Not sure what to say? Here are some key messages for your Federal MPs

• As a voter, you feel strongly about voluntary assisted dying laws;
• You feel strongly that Territory citizens should have the democratic right to decide these laws and not be second class citizens in their own country; 
• Territorians should be able to make their own decisions about health care at the end of life; 
• You want federal parliamentarians to support a Bill restoring Territories' rights.

National - Healthcare Professionals for Assisted Dying Choice

HPAD Choice is a national list of over 450 practising, retired and student healthcare professionals. We include doctors, nurses, psychologists and other allied health workers.

We support mentally competent adults having the right to choose an assisted death, subject to strict safeguards, if they have intolerable suffering from a terminal or incurable medical condition for which there is no realistic chance of a cure or relief. Voluntary assisted dying laws would allow such people the right to end their lives at the time and place of their choosing and in the presence of their loved ones. 

How you can help

If you are a health professional, sign up to HPAD Choice. 

If you happen to speak to your health professional and you know they're in support, get them to sign up to https://www.hpadchoice.org.au/ - it can be anonymous.  

Victoria

Victoria is currently the only Australian state with a VAD law in operation.

How you can help

You can raise awareness of VAD in your state by speaking to your doctor and asking them to undertake the VAD Training, provided by the Victorian government.

If you are a health professional, sign up to HPAD Choice, it can be anonymous.

Western Australia

Western Australia has passed legislation for VAD that comes into effect in mid 2021.

How you can help

In the meantime, you can raise awareness of VAD in your state by speaking to your doctor and asking if they would consider doing the training, once it becomes available.

If you are a health professional, sign up to HPAD Choice, it can be anonymous.