Euthanasia is set to become legal in the ACT with all government members expected to support the voluntary assisted dying bill when debate begins today. Source: Canberra Times.
All Labor and Greens members have confirmed they will vote in favour of the bill with no plans, at this stage, to move amendments. But the Liberals have refused to confirm their positions.
Debate on the bill is expected to continue into the next sitting period in early June, with the Barr Government eager to pass the laws in the first half of the year.
If the bill passes by the end of June, voluntary euthanasia will be available for Canberrans by the end of next year with an 18-month implementation period in place.
Each member of the Legislative Assembly was asked if they would vote in favour of the bill and whether they intended to move any amendments.
Every Labor member confirmed they would vote in favour of the bill.
ACT Human Rights Minister Tara Cheyne, who put forward the bill, is expected to move amendments in response to an inquiry.
“Substantive amendments can be broadly categorised into eligibility, process, health practitioners, facility operators, oversight and compliance and miscellaneous,” she said.
All Greens members will vote in favour of the bill and they are not planning to move amendments but will vote in favour of the government’s amendments.
None of the Liberals revealed their position, with a spokesman issuing a statement saying the matter was a conscience vote.
Under the ACT’s proposed legislation a person can access voluntary euthanasia if they have an advanced terminal condition. Unlike other jurisdictions, the territory won’t require people to have an expected timeframe to death.
An inquiry into the bill said clearer terminology was needed to determine who is eligible for the scheme, including a better definition of what it means to have an advanced terminal condition.
Definitions of “advanced” are included in Ms Cheyne’s amendments.
FULL STORY
Most MLAs reveal how they will vote on ACT’s voluntary assisted dying bill (By Lucy Bladen, Canberra Times)
