Voluntary euthanasia laws to go before Victorian Parliament

VOLUNTARY euthanasia laws are likely to go before State Parliament next year, with the Andrews Government establishing an expert panel to advise it on an appropriate model.

Premier Daniel Andrews said his views on euthanasia had changed recently Picture: Josie Hayden

VOLUNTARY euthanasia laws are likely to go before State Parliament next year, with the Andrews Government establishing an expert panel to advise it on an appropriate model.

The groundbreaking and controversial laws are expected to be similar to those recommended by a parliamentary committee earlier this year, and would have a range of safeguards built in.

That committee said laws should only apply to people suffering from a serious and incurable disease who are at the end of life, and who are of sound “decision making capacity”.

The parliament’s Inquiry into End of Life Choices recommended that a taskforce be created to oversee the process, and the government will respond in full on Thursday.

But several ministers have confirmed that Cabinet has agreed to press ahead with the politically sensitive plan, and endorses the committee’s recommendation in principle.

Once a taskforce recommends their favoured framework, the government would draft a Bill to be put to parliament, where all MPs would vote with their conscience.

“The idea is to have it settled by the end of next year,” one minister said.

Another minister said there was no favoured model, but the view within Cabinet was that it had to be very conservative.

Several ministers have spoken publicly in favour of changing laws around end of life care this year, including Health Minister Jill Hennessy, Treasurer Tim Pallas, Police Minister Lisa Neville, and Planning Minister Richard Wynne, since the committee handed down its report.

The report recommended conscientious objection be built into any euthanasia laws, to ensure that doctors who did not want to participate were not forced to.

There would also be safeguards such as strict checks on qualifications of health practitioners administering any life-ending drugs.

“A request for assisted dying must be approved by a primary doctor and an independent secondary doctor,” the report said.

Premier Daniel Andrews, who lost his father Bob to cancer, said his views on euthanasia had changed recently.

Mr Andrews said the government would reveal its preferred “way forward” on the issue of assisted dying this week.

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