Palaszczuk puts voluntary euthanasia reform on hold

Assisted dying for the terminally ill in Queensland will not be legislated before the state heads to the polls on October 31.

In March, the government’s health committee recommended legislation be debated in Parliament, following a year long inquiry.

Every four days, a terminally-ill person takes their own life in Queensland.Credit: Alamy

But Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk believes the scheme needs "further consideration".

She has asked for draft legislation backed by the committee to be sent to the Law Reform Commission for review.

The commission will report back to the government by March 1, 2021.

"Voluntary assisted dying is a very complex and deeply personal issue, in which competing interests and views of Queenslanders and experts have to be carefully balanced, and the lives of our elderly and most vulnerable people protected," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"It is absolutely critical that the government’s final response to the committee reports is informed by the views and experiences of aged care and palliative care providers.

"We need to give the sector and community time to consider the reports in detail and we know
that the focus in these areas is currently on addressing the risk of COVID-19."

Greens MP Michael Berkman, who sits on the parliamentary health committee, had called for the laws to be introduced to Parliament in June this year.

"These laws have overwhelming support from everyday Queenslanders, who don’t need major party politics obstructing their right to choose dying with dignity," Mr Berkman said.

“After hearing heartbreaking stories from people who've watched their loved ones suffer needlessly before their death, it is crystal clear to me that voluntary assisted dying legislation is long overdue in Queensland.”

(From left) the Queensland Government Health Committee's Barry O'Rourke, Joan Pease, Aaron Harper, and Michael Berkman at a press conference at Parliament House in Brisbane last year. Credit: AAP

Assisted dying advocate and chair of the Clem Jones Trust David Muir said it was "disappointing" the Premier would not pass the laws this year.

"The timetable outlined by the Premier also risks making new laws a party political issue at the October election, when they are meant to be decided on a conscience vote regardless of any party’s policy," he said.

"The Premier and LNP leader promised their MPs a conscience vote, but we have no idea if such guarantees will be repeated by whoever leads the government and opposition after October."

Victoria passed voluntary assisted dying laws in 2017 and Western Australia became the second state to legalise the practice late last year.

The health committee gauged public opinion on the issue and found most Queenslanders were in favour of helping terminally ill people to die.

The committee heard from people who had made plans for suicide in circumstances where they had a life-limiting illness or debilitating condition.

It found a terminally-ill person took their own life every four days in Queensland.

Labor MPs Aaron Harper, Joan Pease and Barry O'Rourke backed recommendations, as did Mr Berkman.

The two LNP committee members, Marty Hunt and Mark McArdle, penned a dissenting report believing "no decision should be made whilst the issue of palliative care is so poorly funded, understood, barely accessible and neglected".