National Seniors Australia survey reveals widespread support for Queensland’s VAD laws

A majority of Queensland seniors have backed a push for voluntary-assisted dying being made available for people with a terminal illness.

More than 80 per cent of Queensland seniors would support voluntary-assisted dying being available to people with a terminal illness, new data has revealed.

A survey conducted by National Seniors Australia has revealed 86 per cent of older Australians support euthanasia in instances of a terminal illness while 8.7 per cent did not.

In Queensland, 65 per cent of seniors – aged 50 and above in the survey – said they would support VAD being available to a person with a non-terminal illness who met other eligibility criteria available in Victoria.

While 8.7 per cent of senior Queenslanders did not support VAD being available for people with a terminal illness, 84.4 per cent of people did.

The survey engaged with 3500 people from across the country, with 1260 from Queensland – the largest response from any state or territory.

Proposed euthanasia legislation is set to be debated in Queensland Parliament in September, with a committee report expected to be tabled later this month.

Go Gentle Australia CEO Kiki Paul said the survey was more evidence that Australians, no matter their age, supported choice at the end of their lives.

“Like all Australians, they want a say in the circumstances of their death should they be diagnosed with a terminal illness,” she said.

“Most of all they want the choice not to suffer needlessly.

“Four Australian states have already passed safe and compassionate laws that give terminally ill people this autonomy and control.

“Now it’s time for Queenslanders to be allowed the same choice.”

More than 650 respondents from across the country penned comments about VAD which revealed the diverse reasons behind their views.

National Seniors Australia CEO John McCallum said one example of a comment read, “The quality of death should be given the same attention as the quality of birth”.

He said better information around VAD was needed.

Some respondents – people who did and didn’t support VAD – raised concerns that older people may feel coerced into using euthanasia by care organisations or family members.

“Our members asked us to do this survey and with our increasing ability to keep people alive at all ages this issue has to be discussed and addressed in the community,” Professor McCallum said.