Voluntary Assisted Dying: What do NT parliamentarians really think?
Half of Northern Territory parliamentarians have voiced their support for reinstating the rights of Territorians to die with dignity. Read the details.
Half of Northern Territory parliamentarians have voiced their support for reinstating the rights of Territorians to die with dignity following the release of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee report.
At the moment Territorians are the only people in Australia who do not have access to voluntary assisted dying — despite the NT initially being the first place in the world to legalise euthanasia.
Following the repeal of a 25-year federal government gag order on the two Territory parliaments in 2022, there have been two rounds of consultation on a future VAD scheme.
After the release of the report last week recommending the NT should once again introduce VAD, the Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby confirmed members would be allowed a conscience vote on the draft Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill.
Ms Boothby said she was aiming to present the legislation by early 2026.
The NT News polled all 25 members of parliament following the report’s release with 13 politicians stating they personally believed the NT should allow voluntary assisted dying.
However, given there is currently no draft legislation, most members said they would have to consult with their communities before indicating how they would vote on a future bill before parliament.
Only 10 members declined to provide their personal views on VAD with two members from the report committee remaining silent.
Key ministers being cagey on personal views
The Chief Minister and three key ministers have declined to voice their personal opinions on Voluntary Assisted Dying ahead of the legislation being developed.
NT Health Minister Steve Edgington, Disability and Seniors Minister Jinson Charls and Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby refused to state their personal position on the issue.
However, Acting Chief Minister Gerard Maley said that while he personally supports the principals of VAD, he will be scrutinising the view and asking his constituents before voting.
“I support the principals of voluntary assisted dying,” Mr Maley said.
“But I believe it’s important to review the Bill in detail and consult with the people of my electorate before making a final decision.”
Lia Finocchio did not reveal her personal stance, but like a number of others, stated the intention to “continue to consult with my community on this important issue”.
In September last year, shortly after coming into government, Ms Finocchiaro said the return of assisted dying laws in the NT was “not an immediate priority”.
Minister Charls also did not disclose his personal views on VAD to the NT News — although a 2024 Australian Christian Lobby survey indicated he would vote to “protect end of life” in opposition to VAD.
Mr Charls said the subject is one he has already been asking about while door knocking in his electorate over the past few months.
“Voluntary Assisted Dying is a deeply important and sensitive issue, and I am listening closely to the views of my community before forming a final position,” he said.
“I want my contribution in Parliament to reflect the voices of Sanderson.”
Personal support of VAD and concerns with report ‘flaws’
All four Labor members said they personally were supportive of VAD.
Opposition leader Selena Uibo said she believed Territorians should to have the right to choose “like every other Australian does”.
“Voluntary assisted dying is a deeply sensitive matter of choice and one that deserves respect,” Ms Uibo said.
Chansey Paech and Robyn Lambley have stated they are prepared to vote against their own personal beliefs to accurately reflect the views of their electorates.
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and Independent for Araluen said despite her personal opposition to VAD, she would “not stand in the way of Territorians having access to the same rights as other Australians”.
Ms Lambley has consistently stated on the public record she is not a strong supporter of Voluntary Assisted Dying but said she would be scrutinising the proposed legislation to ensure clear safeguards and boundaries were in place.
Ms Lambley said the latest Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee report had “significant flaws”, weakening some safeguards compared to the 2024 expert report.
She said she was particularly concerned about the removal of ‘eligibility time frames’ and the cost and logistical challenges of delivering VAD across the NT.
While the expert report said a person should have a “time frame to death” of six to 12 months before accessing VAD, the latest report scrapped that requirement given the “unreliability of prognosis time frames”.
The expert report also recommended a “stand-alone, centralised model” for VAD separate from NT Health, allowing for improved cultural safety, strong governance and oversight and quality assurance but the LCAC report said the cost of this model might be too high due to a “small patient number ratio”.
Ms Lambley said a “decentralised model” risked undermining the quality and consistency Territorians deserve.
“Only a centralised, stand-alone model, as recommended by the Expert Panel and overseen by specialists in the field, can deliver the necessary high standard of care,” she said.
“Assisting people to die is an extremely serious matter.”
Guyula: ‘We don’t want to assist people to die’
Fellow Central Australian from the other side of the political aisle, Mr Paech said he would vote contrary to his personally held beliefs.
Mr Paech said while he personally believed “people should have choice in matters that affect them”, there were many people in his large bush electorate of Gwoja who did not support VAD.
He said if there was a vote on the issue tomorrow, he would abstain.
“On VAD, I won’t decide alone I will consult with communities in my electorate when an actual bill is introduced,” he said.
“I’m not here to vote on things from my personal view, as an elected member we must reflect our electorate’s voice.”
Independent member for Mulka, Yingiya Mark Guyula, said he had always been clear he did not support VAD as it was outside of Yolŋu Rom.
“It’s not part of the law that we follow and we don’t want to assist people to die,” he said
“Sadly, we have enough people choosing death from depression and despair and there is already fear and mistrust of the government and the health system and we don’t need to create more reasons for people to be scared.”
Mr Guyula said it was important the government showed it could create flexible laws that met everyone’s needs and protected culture and law.
What are the LCAC report members saying?
The LCAC report members, Tanzil Rahman, Matthew Kerle, Oly Carlson, Dheran Young and Kat McNamara unanimously recommended a bill be prepared for parliament.
Despite being on the LCAC committee that endorsed a VAD policy, Mr Kerle did not disclose his personal view.
“Due to the importance of this issue, I consider my own personal views are not the deciding factor,” Mr Kerle said.
“When the bill comes to the house I will be representing my constituents and voting in accordance with their will.”
But the Australian Christian Lobby survey ahead of the 2024 election, had Mr Kerle supportive of VAD.
CLP Member for Fong Lim, Tanzil Rahman and CLP Member for Wanguri, Oly Carlson, kept silent on the issue and failed to reply to this masthead.
But on Mix 104.9 last week, Mr Rahman said he would be voting according to his constituents and encouraged Territorians to “look at the full picture here”.
“I think this is a matter of conscience,” he said.
“The key thing now will be for all MLAs to work out for themselves how their electorates feel and how they feel when it comes to a conscience vote.”
While Mr Rahman said he has a “good sense” about what Fong Lim residents want, he said he will be running a survey through his website for people to have their say.
Dheran Young, ALP member for Daly, has already made his mind up and said he would be supporting the VAD Bill and Greens member for Nightcliff, Kat McNamara also said Northern Territory residents should have the right to choose VAD.
However, McNamara said cultural safety should be protected throughout the process and in practice and palliative care invested in.
“In the Territory we have a unique demographic with geographical and resourcing challenges in healthcare and so it is paramount that cultural safety is thoroughly incorporated into any drafting of legislation and in practice,” they said.
“Voluntary Assisted Dying is just one option for end-of-life care, it is important that we also invest in palliative care to ensure that all people can die with dignity in the manner that they wish to.”
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Originally published as Voluntary Assisted Dying: What do NT parliamentarians really think?
