We have today written to the Leader of Government Business, the Hon. Michael Ferguson MP, confirming that we intend to bring our Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2016 on for debate on Wednesday 24th of May 2017.
The Bill seeks to provide a safe and compassionate last resort legal framework for Tasmanians, who are enduring prolonged and incurable suffering that cannot be relieved through palliation, with the right to choose to die with dignity.
Compassionate voluntary assisted dying laws exist in many other jurisdictions around the world, including Belgium, the Netherlands, six US States and, most recently, Canada. We have learned from the experience of these and other jurisdictions and believe that just as they are able to give their citizens a choice to end their lives when their pain and suffering cannot be relieved by the best of medical care, so too can Tasmania.
Dying with dignity reform in Australia has consistently had strong public support, with poll after poll demonstrating up to 80% of those surveyed support an individual’s right to choose to die where their suffering cannot be alleviated.
While we were offered the opportunity by the government to debate this important reform in the House of Assembly today, it has not been feasible to inform all stakeholders within the short timeframe provided by the Leader of Government Business.
Conscience debates are often the most profound and moving debates in the House, where each member is unconstrained by Party politics to speak only from their conscience and their hearts.
We look forward to bringing the Bill on and hearing contributions from all interested members on this important reform that puts compassion and respect for human dignity at the heart of the law.
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NB: in order to qualify under the Bill to end your own life, you must be a Tasmanian adult who is competent to make the decision to end your life voluntarily and have an eligible medical condition.
Eligible medical condition is defined as in clause 11 of the Bill as –
(a) is the advanced stages of a serious incurable and irreversible medical condition, whether caused by illness, disease or injury, as diagnosed by a medical practitioner who has specialised qualifications, or experience, in diagnosing and treating the medical condition; and
(b) the person’s medical condition, or associated medical treatment, or complications resulting from the medical condition or treatment –
(i) is causing persistent suffering for the person that is intolerable for the person; and
(ii) there is no reasonably available medical treatment or palliative care options that would, having regard to both the treatment and any consequences of the treatment, relieve the person’s suffering in a manner that is acceptable to the person; and
(c) there is no reasonable prospect of a permanent improvement in the person’s medical condition.
Lara Giddings MP, Member for Franklin Cassy O’Connor MP, Member for Denison
