SA’s euthanasia Bill has passed the second reading stage in parliament. What happens next?

The Bill to legalise voluntary euthanasia in SA has moved to the final stage. But it’s not law yet – here’s what happens now.

After hours of debate on Wednesday night, South Australia’s lower house overwhelmingly voted to progress the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill. Here’s everything you need to know about what happened and what the next steps are.

What happened on Wednesday night?

The second reading stage, which played out on Wednesday night, was an opportunity for all MPs to deliver a speech about the general principles and purposes of the Bill. Each MP indicated whether they intended to support or oppose the Bill.

Many MPs shared deeply personal stories, including Giles MP Eddie Hughes, who lost both his father and younger brother to bowel cancer.

Just after 11pm, MPs voted 33-5 in favour of progressing the Bill, suggesting there is overwhelming support for the laws and will likely pass when it comes to a final vote on June 9.

However, some of the 33 MPs who supported it did so on a “conditional” basis, meaning they will reserve their final decision until after they consider any proposed amendments to the laws.

SA MPs celebrate after the lower house overwhelmingly voted to progress the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill. Picture: Nat Cook / Facebook

What happens next?

When parliament sits on June 9, the VAD Bill will begin the “committee stage”, a rigorous process in which every single clause of the proposed laws is scrutinised.

MPs will have the opportunity to draft and lodge amendments for their colleagues to consider.

With more than 100 clauses included in the Bill, MPs will likely be in for a late night agonising over the finer details of the laws.

MPs will vote on whether each clause should stand as printed or be changed with amendments. After all clauses are debated on, House of Assembly Speaker Josh Teague will put the entire Bill to a final vote.

If 24 or more MPs vote in favour of it, it will pass.

If all amendments are rejected, then the Bill would be officially approved in its current form.

However, if any amendments are successful, the laws would then need to go back to the upper house for the final tick of approval.

If, for whatever reason, the upper house can’t agree on the amendments made in the lower house, off-floor negotiations would occur.

Father Barnabas from the Saints Elizabeth and Barbara Orthodox Church and Poppy Vivian at on the steps of Parliament house on Wednesday night, at a rally against the euthanasia bill. Picture Simon Cross

And then, if still no compromise can be reached, the Bill would sink.

But, considering the strong support previously shown in the upper house, the Bill should receive safe passage.

If the Bill passes both chambers in the same format, several formalities would then take place.

Parliamentary Counsel must sign off on the Bill, which is then presented to Attorney-General Vickie Chapman.

Ms Chapman would then sign a letter to the Premier and advise the Governor that there are no legal issues with the Bill being passed.

The Governor would then grant Royal Assent and then it will become law.

When would the laws come into effect?

There are differing views on when the laws would come into effect, should they pass parliament.

Health and Wellbeing Minister Stephen Wade previously told parliament voluntary euthanasia laws would come into effect within 18 to 24 months of the Bill passing.

“SA Health does not want to move too quickly – we get dizzy when we move too quickly,” he told the upper house earlier this month.

“I think it is also really important to understand the operational issues that our clinicians will need to work through.”

Mr Wade said SA Health convened a clinicians’ forum to discuss the Bill.

“A lot of the issues that were discussed were the sorts of issues that will need to be discussed by clinical networks and not by parliamentarians.”

People hold a vigil at Parliament House in support of the Bill on Wednesday night. Picture: Tom Huntley

Opposition legal affairs spokesman Kyam Maher, who authored the VAD Bill, predicted it could be in effect as early as 12 months time

“If the Bill passes the lower house and becomes law, experience from around Australia has indicated that one to two years is the time that it takes to … put all the safeguards in place and the training required,” he said.

“There’s no reason South Australia would be any different from that one to two year mark.”

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