The Principles of the NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021

The Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021 was recently introduced to the NSW Parliament. If passed, the Bill will provide a legal framework for, and regulate access to, voluntary assisted dying in NSW.

Put simply, voluntary assisted dying means that some adults can now ask for medical help to end their life if they have a disease or illness that is so severe it is going to cause their death and their suffering cannot be relieved in a manner tolerable to them.

Voluntary assisted dying is legal in Victoria, Western Australia, and Tasmania, and there are moves to legislate for it in other States and Territories.

The NSW Bill is underscored by the following principles:

• every human life has equal value
• a person’s autonomy, including autonomy in relation to end of life choices, should be respected
• a person has the right to be supported in making informed decisions about the person’s medical treatment and should be given, in a way the person understands, information about medical treatment options, including comfort and palliative care and treatment
• a person approaching the end of life should be provided with high quality care and treatment, including palliative care and treatment, to minimise the person’s suffering and maximise the person’s quality of life
• a therapeutic relationship between a person and the person’s health practitioner should, wherever possible, be supported and maintained
• a person should be encouraged to openly discuss death and dying, and the person’s preferences and values regarding the person’s care, treatment and end of life should be encouraged and promoted
• a person should be supported in conversations with the person’s health practitioners, family, carers and community about care and treatment preferences
• a person is entitled to genuine choices about the person’s care, treatment and end of life, irrespective of where the person lives in New South Wales and having regard to the person’s culture and language
• a person who is a regional resident is entitled to the same level of access to voluntary assisted dying as a person who lives in a metropolitan region
• there is a need to protect persons who may be subject to pressure or duress
• all persons, including health practitioners, have the right to be shown respect for their culture, religion, beliefs, values and personal characteristics.

If you would like to provide feedback about the Bill to our local member, please go to https://www.wendytuckerman.com

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• Health & Wellbeing