New bid for voluntary assisted dying bill

Legislation to legalise voluntary assisted dying will again come before Tasmania’s Parliament this year, but it is not without its critics.

A FOURTH attempt at voluntary assisted dying legislation for Tasmania is set to come before Parliament this year.

Mersey MLC Mike Gaffney will introduce the End of Life Choices (Voluntary Assisted Dying) Bill 2020 to the Legislative Council as a private member’s Bill. Previous attempts at similar laws in 2009, 2013 and 2016 were foiled, failing to pass through the House of Assembly.

Mr Gaffney, who was on a committee that considered the 2009 Bill, said he believed people should have a choice.

“There is still going to be situations where palliative care is not going to relieve intolerable suffering,’’ he said.

TALKING POINT: WE NEED FREEDOM AT END OF LIFE

Mr Gaffney said he believed the legislation now had more chance of progressing than it did on previous occasions, saying he thought the Bill had improved on each occasion.

“Other countries are looking at it, other states in Australia are looking at it, and it’s one of those discussions that has to happen,’’ he said.

Dying with Dignity Tasmania president Margaret Sing said the legislation was an opportunity for the state to offer people choice on end-of- life decisions.

But Anglican Dean of Hobart, the Very Reverend Richard Humphrey, said legalising assisted dying would be in “direct contradiction to the cornerstone value of protecting human life”.

“The sanctity of human life is a foundational marker of the legal framework of our society. To change this is fraught with danger,’’ he said.

“Our Government needs to foster a community of hope and encourage the idea of having a good death by improving access to high-quality palliative care rather than people taking their own lives.”

Mr Gaffney will run 35 forums across the state next month to explain the proposed legislation to communities.

A draft Bill is expected to be released soon, with feedback to be gathered in coming months.

Mr Gaffney expects to table the Bill in the Legislative Council by August.