Following the Report into Voluntary Assisted Dying in the Northern Territory which recommends Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) be made available to residents and with the August 24 election looming, candidates’ positions on VAD has become a hot issue.
Northern Territory Voluntary Euthanasia Society President Judy Dent previously told Green Left she was “disappointed” the expert report did not include dementia patients.
In addition, the recommendations require those suffering intolerably to be “diagnosed” as having 12 months or less to live. “Whoever wins the election,” Dent said, “I am worried the new government might simply ignore the report.”
However with more than 75% of Australians and 71% of Territorians supporting the right to VAD, that seems unlikely.
The NT Greens are running 11 candidates, all committed to the Greens long-standing health policy supporting VAD.
Labor’s NT Chief Minister Eva Lawler has committed to tabling a VAD Bill if re-elected, but Labor is not committing a time frame. Territory Labor is fielding five candidates, all promising “a fair go for the Territory”. Whether this extends to urgent VAD legislation remains to be seen.
The 18 Country Liberal Party candidates have not publicly committed to supporting VAD. The Australian Christian Lobby notes the CLP said in 2022 it would not support VAD if elected, but the party remains silent on the current debate.
Former CLP NT Chief Minister Marshall Perron, sponsor and architect of the original NT Rights of the Terminally Ill Act (1995), believes a private member’s bill would allow VAD to become law.
He remains disappointed that “the panel did not deliver a draft VAD Bill, but instead a series of recommendations for further consideration” calling it “procrastination”.
Marshall told Green Left: “The [NT VAD Expert Advisory Panel] report states that after a VAD law passes parliament, it is likely to take up to 18 months to establish procedures before it becomes operational.
“If drafting and passing a Bill takes six months, which is optimistic, it will be three and a half years from the time legislative authority was returned, before the first Territorian can access VAD.”
The ACT did it within 18 months of having Territory Rights restored. Any delay in the NT will not be well received.
If any more proof was needed that VAD’s time has come, it came last week from an unexpected quarter.
Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Darwin, Charles Gauci, was reported by NT media, on August 1, saying that while the church has concerns, particularly about provisions to protect conscientious objectors, there will be no scare campaign during this election.
“Running a scare campaign would be against my principles and integrity,” Gauci said. “In the end people have to make up their own minds.”
This stance is more aligned with the overwhelming majority of Christians, who have consistently polled in favour of the compassionate provision of VAD for eligible adults.
The Expert Advisory Panel report identifies circumstances where First Nations Territorians, who have a variety of attitudes and practices toward death, may request VAD.
“Queensland and WA have significant Indigenous populations” Perron said. “Yet there have been no reports of concern, or conflict, relating to the impact of VAD in those states.”
The report’s recommendations for a “stand alone” VAD unit further ensures the fair and equitable provision of VAD, including in a culturally acceptable way for First Nations applicants.
Territorians go to the polls on August 24. There may be numerous candidates from multiple parties but only have two real choices: a humane government of the future that gives Territorians back the majority-supported voluntary assisted dying legislation they created as a world first or an ideologically backward government, which is prepared to let more suffering terminally-ill Territorians die prolonged, miserable deaths on the basis of disproven objections.