Draft euthanasia legislation to be considered by Queensland Government early next year

Important work is being finished around voluntary assisted dying laws before draft legislation is presented to the State Government for consideration in March next year.

HEALTH Committee Chair Aaron Harper says important work needs to be finished around voluntary assisted dying and that he was looking forward to the issue coming back before parliament.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk last month delayed introducing any possible euthanasia legislation until after the upcoming October election, ordering the Queensland Law Reform Commission to draft legislation for the government’s consideration by March 1, 2021.

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Health committee chair Aaron Harper says work needs to be finished on euthanasia laws before draft legislation is put to the government in March next year. Picture: Alix Sweeney

Mr Harper, a Labor backbencher, told The Courier-Mail he hoped the issue would be dealt with should the Palaszczuk Government win the election.

“Those thousands who wrote or came before us and shared their deeply personal stories know just how important the issue is to them,” he said.

“I believe asking the QLRC to come back in March signals that the government will deal with this important issue early in the new term. 

“We have work that is so very important to many Queenslanders that we will need to finish.”

The parliamentary committee which Mr Harper chairs recommended legislation be introduced when it reported back earlier this year, following a mammoth inquiry that saw more than 5000 submissions and about 54 hearings held across the state.

Mr Harper recently started conducting his own online poll on the matter in his electorate of Thuringowa which 1300 people have so far voiced their support.

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington wouldn’t guarantee yesterday whether the LNP would introduce legislation should the party win in October.

In response to questions from The Courier-Mail, an LNP spokesman said, “We will await to see what is put forward by the Queensland Law Reform Commission.”