The SA law was passed in 2021 following 16 earlier attempts at law reform over a period of 26 years.

Now terminally ill South Australians who meet the strict eligibility criteria can access a quick and peaceful death, if that is their choice, at the end of their illness.

The SA Health Minister, Chris Picton said that “eligible South Australians facing terminal illnesses and insufferable pain are entitled to choice and dignity at the end of life.”

The law, which is very similar to the law that has been operating effectively in Victoria since mid 2019, includes 70 safeguards.

The individual wishing to access VAD must have a terminal diagnosis with a life expectancy of less than six months, or 12 months for a person with a neurodegenerative disease. They must be an SA resident for at least 12 months and they must maintain decision-making capacity throughout the entire process. The assessment has to be carried out by two independent medical practitioners and the patient is required to make three separate requests, including one in writing.

As in Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland, a state-wide VAD Care Navigator Service has been set up to support people through the process.

Once all the requirements have been met, a final review is carried out before a permit can be granted that will allow the patient to obtain medication for self-administration or, in certain circumstances, administration by a medical practitioner.

According to media reports this week, 70 doctors in South Australia have registered to be involved in the scheme so far.

For more information about the VAD law in South Australia see InDaily’s ‘Explainer: How SA’s voluntary assisted dying system will work.’

New South Wales will be the next state to implement their VAD law but that is still 10 months away with the implementation date being the 28 November 2023.

The Queensland Parliament passed the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill in September 2021 but like the other states that already have operating VAD schemes, they had to undergo an implementation period to ensure the scheme operates safely and effectively.

Who can apply?

The Queensland law is similar to other Australian VAD laws and has strict eligibility criteria.

To use the law, a person must be:

• Diagnosed with an incurable disease, illness or medical condition that:
  • incurable, advanced and progressive, and will cause death within 12 months
  • is causing suffering that cannot be relieved in a manner the person finds tolerable
• Capable of making decisions about their medical treatment and communicate those decisions throughout the assessment process
• Acting freely and without coercion
• Aged 18+
• An Australian citizen or permanent resident who has lived in Queensland for at least 12 months

A person must make three separate requests for voluntary assisted dying and have the approval of two doctors.

To find out more about the Queensland VAD law, visit Queensland’s Department of Health website.

Asking for information on voluntary assisted dying 

If you live in Queensland and you are thinking about accessing voluntary assisted dying, you should discuss it with your doctor or healthcare team. This could include nurses, social workers, psychologists, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers or practitioners.

Any willing doctor or healthcare worker can support you while you are thinking about voluntary assisted dying and they can give you information about voluntary assisted dying. They can help you think through your options but only a doctor or nurse practitioner can start a conversation about voluntary assisted dying with you. If they start a conversation, they must also discuss your treatment options with you, including palliative care treatment and support options, and the likely outcomes of your options. If you want to talk to another type of healthcare worker about voluntary assisted dying, you will have to start the conversation.

Asking for information doesn’t mean you have started the VAD process. You can have as many conversations as you need with your healthcare team about voluntary assisted dying and it’s important you have the information you need to make an informed decision. However, the process only starts when you have made your decision and make a first request. You can learn more about asking for voluntary assisted dying by visiting the Queensland’s Department of Health website.

Respecting your healthcare team’s beliefs

Voluntary assisted dying is complex and individuals may have different views about voluntary assisted dying. It is important to respect all views—respecting different views is central to voluntary assisted dying in Queensland.

All doctors and healthcare workers can choose to conscientiously object to participating in any stage of the voluntary assisted dying process.

If your healthcare team cannot respond to your questions about voluntary assisted dying, they may give you the details of someone who can, or you can contact the Queensland Voluntary Assisted Dying Support Service (QVAD-Support). QVAD-Support will be able to answer some of your questions and connect you to a doctor who will be able to help you access voluntary assisted dying. Their skilled, knowledgeable team are ready to be contacted.

QVAD-SUPPORT SERVICE

Ph. 1800 431 371

Email: qvadsupport@health.qld.gov.au

The Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022 passed its final hurdle in the Senate on 1 December 2022 providing another cause for celebration in 2022 and a huge sense of relief for VAD advocates across the country.

Dying with Dignity had hoped that the territories would soon join all six Australian states, which have already passed voluntary assisted dying legislation, however it may still be a few years away.

According to media reports, the ACT is planning to introduce a VAD Bill, after extensive consultation, in late 2023 or early 2024 but the NT government may take longer with no plans to debate a VAD bill during the current parliamentary term.

If the ACT and NT choose to legalise voluntary assisted dying, they are likely to take a close look at the detail in each of the state laws as well as the evidence and data from the states where VAD is already operational. It only took five years for the six states to pass VAD laws but progress was achieved in each debate so there could be advantages in being the last jurisdiction to offer this compassionate end-of-life option.

A number of Australian VAD advocates attended the Conference including Jane Morris, Vice President of Dying with Dignity Victoria (DWDV), Anne Bunning, from Voluntary Assisted Dying South Australia (VADSA) and Secretary of the WFRtDS, Palliative Care Physician Dr Greg Mewett from Ballarat and Mike Gaffney MLC from Tasmania.

Reports from the Conference were extremely positive. 

At the Awards and Farewell dinner held on the final day, Shayne Higson was chosen by the World Federation Right to Die Societies as the recipient of the 2022 Marilynne Seguin Award – an award given “For the person who has achieved much in her/his country for their national right-to-die movement”.

At 18.30 local time on November 2nd, Dying with Dignity NSW will post the World of Champions map on their website as will all 58 World Federation of Right to Die Societies spread through 30 countries across six continents.

Interactive PDF – Click to Open

Rob Jonquière, Executive Director said, “The World of Champions tells the stories of the parents, children, siblings, activists, doctors, supporters and volunteers who are working to make dying with dignity possible from all the corners of the earth. It is a testimony of their struggle and the complexities they face in championing the right to die with dignity. In some areas, the map is empty, and while there are certainly Champions in each of these countries, their efforts are shrouded in silence without right to die societies to support their cause and tell their story. We hope that they will join us in time.”

“Choosing just one Champion to represent each Australian state must have been so challenging,” said Shayne Higson, the advocate selected to represent the NSW voluntary assisted dying campaign. “Dying with Dignity NSW has been advocating for decades, as have all the other interstate advocacy organisations, so it is an honour to have been chosen,” she said.

“Like so many advocates, Shayne Higson’s involvement in the campaign to legalise Voluntary Assisted Dying began after she witnessed the traumatic death of her beloved mother from an aggressive brain cancer in 2012,” said Penny Hackett, President of Dying with Dignity NSW.

“Shayne has devoted her life to this cause, as Vice President of Dying with Dignity NSW; by running as the lead candidate for the Voluntary Euthanasia Party in five elections – state and federal; and by supporting the campaigns of other Dying with Dignity organisations around Australia.”

“What distinguishes Shayne Higson’s advocacy is her “never give up” attitude, her optimism in the face of bleak prospects and her belief in the power of respectful conversations.”

“Shayne is highly respected within the dying with dignity community for her endless compassion, kindness and her steadfast and selfless commitment. Her mum would be extremely proud.”

At the biannual World Federation Conference of Right to Die Societies in Toronto, Canada, WFRtDS  president Asunción Alvarez will unveil the World of Champions map at a special presentation at 18.30 [EDT] and discuss the achievements of our Champions thus far in 2022 and the challenges we face in 2023.

Join us in celebrating the unity and commitment of Champions worldwide on November 2nd, World Right to Die Day, by reading and sharing their stories as well as joining us in supporting their advocacy.

Dying With Dignity Tasmania’s president Hilde Nilsson said advocates had been campaigning for voluntary assisted dying laws for decades.

“At long last Tasmanians will have a choice at the end of their life if their suffering cannot be relieved by any other means,” Ms Nilsson said.

For sisters Jacqui and Natalie Gray who played a major part in the campaign, Sunday was a bittersweet day.

“To now know that Tasmanians have the absolute reassurance that they will never need to suffer intolerably is remarkable, but on the flip side it’s heart-wrenching that our mum’s death became the driving force for the strength and determination of our advocacy campaign, and essentially, the passing of this law.

“It’s been a rollercoaster ride of emotions for Nat and I, but knowing that our final promise to her has now come to fruition and been fulfilled means her death has not been in vain.”

Dying with Dignity NSW would like to congratulate Hilde Nilsson and former DWD President Margaret Sing, The Gray sisters and of course, the independent MLC, Mike Gaffney, who introduced the Bill. The Tasmanian VAD Bill passed the upper house in an historic unanimous vote, something that has never happened in the world before.

Over two hundred supporters took part in the live Zoom webinar to find out when and how NSW residents can access VAD; what role Dying with Dignity NSW will play now and in the future; and why supporters need to remain engaged in this end-of-life issue.

For those who missed it, you can catch up by viewing the video below.

The webinar was presented by DWD President, Penny Hackett, former Vice President and recently appointed CEO, Shayne Higson and special guest, Alex Greenwich MP.

“Now that the NSW VAD law has passed you might be wondering what happens next and what role there is for DWD in a post VAD world,” Penny Hackett asked.

“The answer is that there is a lot of work yet to do and we have undertaken a very detailed exercise to plot out how best DWD can support the VAD regime and make the best use of our time and resources.”

The regime doesn’t come into effect until November 2023 and we know many people are disappointed that it won’t be available sooner. However, there is a lot of planning and implementation required to make sure the regime operates in accordance with the Act and that both patients and practitioners are very clear on the process.”

Tanya Lee launched the Death by Corrie Cookbook last month.

The Death By Corrie Cookbook breaks all the rules!

This is a cookbook that forgoes healthy eating for tasty eating, with recipes from a bygone era when sugar, salt and fat were staple ingredients and the food brought a smile to your face and comfort to your belly.

That’s not the only reason this is a cookbook with a difference. It also forgoes meticulously manicured food images – you won’t find a single one! Instead, every recipe is hilariously or thought-provokingly brought to life by some of Australia and the world’s greatest cartoonists and visual artists.

Here are some of the cartoonists and illustrators featured in the cookbook:

Michael Bell, Peter Berner, Peter Broelman, Warren Brown, Patrick Cook, Jules Faber, Rocco Fazzari, Matt Golding, Jon Hawley, Leigh Hobbs, Fiona Katauskas, Brian Kogler, Simon Letch, Johannes Leak, Mary Leunig, Peter Lewis, Tony Lopes, Mark Lynch, Reg Lynch, Paul McDermott, Matthew Martin, Kerry Millard, Reg Mombassa, Judy Nadin, Steve Panozzo, Victoria Roberts, Buddy Ross, John Shakespeare, Stuart Spence, Mel Stringer, David Wales and Cathy Wilcox.

You can purchase a copy of this limited edition book via the Death By Corrie Cookbook website. Profit from the cookbook will go directly to Dying with Dignity NSW.

The Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill passed the Lower House, after passing the Upper House with some amendments earlier that morning following a long debate that ran until midnight on the previous day. There were applause and tears in the public gallery where advocates had gathered to witness the final hurdle and an overwhelming sense of relief.

“We are all feeling an extreme mix of emotions today”, said Shayne Higson, Vice President of Dying with Dignity NSW.

“There is the relief, that we’ve finally achieved this law reform so that in the future, people with a terminal illness will not have to go through prolonged suffering in their final days of life. However, we also continue to grieve for the families and others, who have watched a loved one die with extreme suffering. For those people, this is a heavy mix of emotions,”

“And most importantly, there are the people who are terminally ill right now, and for them, this law reform will be too late. But that hasn’t stopped them from doing everything in their power to make this option a reality for others.

“And last but not least, we pay tribute to those who have sadly died died waiting for this law to pass. Too numerous to name but certainly never forgotten.”

Dying with Dignity NSW are incredibly grateful to the hard work of Alex Greenwich MP, who drafted the Bill and has coordinated its successful passage and his team – Tammie Nardone and Leanne Abbott. We thank Greg Piper MP, supported by Jason Gordon for all their work in support of the Bill from beginning to end.

We also thank Adam Searle, MLC, who took carriage of the Bill in the Upper House and who has expertly steered it through to a successful conclusion.

Ms Higson said “We are incredibly grateful to the 28 co-sponsors of the Bill and to those MPs, from across the political spectrum who have worked together to achieve this incredible milestone and delivered a safe and compassionate law to give terminally ill people in this state a choice in their last days.

“This is a Bill that has the support of over 80% of the NSW community, it has the largest number of co-sponsors in Australia’s parliamentary history, state or federal – and this morning it has passed both houses of NSW Parliament.”

(L to R) The “team” – Greg Piper, Andrew Denton, Penny Hackett, Jason Gordon, Shayne Higson, Amelia Brock, Kiki Paul, Tammie Nardone, Steve Offner, Alex Greenwich and Frankie Bennett.