Tasmanian voluntary assisted dying laws come into effect 18 months after passing parliament

It’s been 18 months since voluntary assisted dying laws, spearheaded by an independent MLC, passed the state parliament – now they have finally come into effect. See what it means.

Voluntary assisted dying laws have come into effect in Tasmania, more than a year after they passed both houses of state parliament.

The laws, spearheaded by independent Mersey MLC Mike Gaffney, officially began operating on Sunday following a painstaking 18-month implementation period involving community information sessions, engagement with aged care facilities, and training for medical practitioners.

Under the legislation, eligible adults suffering from a terminal medical condition will be able to access prescribed medication to end their life.

Health Department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said there were safeguards in place to ensure the VAD laws were exercised appropriately, with consideration given to an individual’s condition, their capacity for decision-making, age, residency, and whether or not they were acting voluntarily.

Kathrine Morgan-Wicks secretary Department of Health. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“Accessing voluntary assisted dying is a strict process that will usually take many weeks and is not an emergency service,” she said.

“Most people will get the support they need from palliative care and end of life services, which improve quality of life for people with advanced disease. However, some people approaching the end of their life and experiencing intolerable suffering that cannot be relieved may want to request assistance to die.

“All health practitioners have a choice about whether they assist their patients to access voluntary assisted dying. They do not have to play an active role in the process, other than complying with the minimum obligations set out in the act.”

The VAD process is multi-tiered and involves numerous eligibility assessments.

It is administered by the Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission, an independent oversight and decision-making body responsible for exercising the functions and powers of the End-of-Life Choices (Voluntary Assisted Dying) Act 2021.

Originally published as Tasmanian voluntary assisted dying laws come into effect 18 months after passing parliament