NT Election 2024: Less than 50pc of candidates voiced their support for voluntary assisted dying

Less than half of all election candidates have come out in support of Territorians gaining the right to die with dignity, despite the NT being the only place in Australia without voluntary assisted dying.

Politicians were slowly swinging behind the overwhelming support for Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation.

Less than half of all Territory election candidates have voiced their support for a future voluntary assisted dying scheme.

The Northern Territory Voluntary Euthanasia Society has released its polling of all 80 candidates ahead of the August 24 election, asking each of the political hopefuls if they would supported Territorians having the same end-of-life options as the rest of the country.

Currently Territorians are the only Australians who are denied the right to die, yet The NTVES said only 39 of the 80 candidates responded that they would support a future VAD legislation.

NTVES President Judy Dent said while some of the respondents personally did not support VAD, the 39 candidates were prepared “to support the clear majority of their electorate on a controversial issue”.

Judy Dent's husband Bob Dent became the first person to legally die by euthanasia on September 22, 1996. Decades later and Ms Dent is continuing the fight to once again have voluntary euthanasia legalised in the Northern Territory. Photograph: Che Chorley

“With some 80 per cent of the community wanting VAD to be made lawful, it is statistically improbable that so many party members personally oppose Territorians having the same rights as other Australians,” Ms Dent said.

The NTVES said there were six seats where none of the candidates had come out in support of VAD, the bush seats of Arafura, Arnhem, Barkly, Daly, Gwoja and Mulka.

Fannie Bay was the only electorate where all candidates have come out in support of VAD.

The polling comes three weeks after the release of the independent expert report into VAD in the Territory, which outlined 22 recommendations for how adults with a terminal condition in “intolerable suffering” could be able to access life-ending care.

Following the release of the report Chief Minister Eva Lawler promised to table a VAD Bill before the next parliament, but Opposition leader Lia Finocchiaro was cagey about a similar commitment.

Despite the expert report receiving submissions from more than 1400 Territorians, 152 written submissions and stakeholder statements and numerous public community forums – Ms Finocchiaro said her members would still need to “listen and consult with every constituent about what is important to them in this issue”.

Indeed only one of the CLP’s 25 candidates responded to the NTVES polling, with Fannie Bay’s Laurie Zio voicing her support for VAD.

Despite both sides of politics having committed to a conscience vote on VAD, however Ms Dent said she was concerned it appeared that pressure had been applied to some candidates not to publicly express their views.

“True democracy requires candidates for election to be honest with voters on issues of major concern,” she said.

The NTVES polling appears to show at least two current sitting members have modified their views on VAD since the release of the expert report. 

In February the NT News asked all parliamentarians if they supported or opposed VAD, and Araluen Independent Robyn Lambley was the only one who came out against it.

“I certainly will not be supporting any ill conceived Bill that entertains some perverse views of the NT Labor Government,” Ms Lambley said seven months ago.

The Australian Christian Lobby also reported that Ms Lambley responded to their candidate poll that she “would oppose any legislation which seeks to implement assisted suicide” in the NT.

Member for Araluen Robyn Lambley at her office in Alice Springs. Picture: Jason Walls

However the Independent candidate has since told NTVES she would support life-ending care.

“They specifically asked me, ‘would I deny the right of Territorians accessing VAD?’. I said I wouldn’t, but personally I do not support VAD,” Ms Lambley told the NT News.

Fong Lim’s Mark Monaghan — who was previously undecided stating he would be “guided by his constituents” — has also now come out in support of VAD.

In February Braitling’s Joshua Burgoyne was the only CLP member to actively support VAD, however he did not respond to the NTVES poll.