Voluntary Assisted Dying rights protected
Older Australians will retain the right to access end-of-life healthcare in their homes, regardless of where they live, following a conscience vote in NSW Parliament last night.
Labor, Liberal and National party members were granted a conscience vote and were divided on the issue, but the amendments were ultimately rejected by the Legislative Council, with 23 votes against and 16 votes in favour of the changes.
According to Greens spokesperson for Health and former rural GP Dr Amanda Cohn, aged care and health care advocates have welcomed Parliament’s decision to reject amendments to the Voluntary Assisted Dying Amendment (Residential Facilities) Bill 2025 introduced by Liberal MLC Susan Carter.
“The proposed changes to the bill could have denied elderly people living in faith-based aged care facilities access to voluntary assisted dying in their homes,” Dr Cohn said.
The bill threatened the health rights of individuals based on the religious views held by facility management.
“Residential aged care facilities are people’s homes. We know that elderly people have limited choice of providers and, in some regional communities, there is only one facility available.”
“Moving frail and terminally ill people at the end of their life is far from simple. Most people want to die at home, not in a hospital.”
“Changes to access would have meant that anyone living in a faith-based facility, whether they shared that faith or not, would have fewer rights than everyone else. This is completely unjust.”
“Voluntary assisted dying laws in NSW were hard-fought and carefully negotiated in 2022. The upper house has strongly rejected this piecemeal and poorly considered reform. We have heard clearly that the community does not want to see access to voluntary assisted dying eroded.”
There was widespread opposition to Susan Carter’s proposed changes from health care providers and seniors advocates, including the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, the Australian Paramedics Association (NSW), Seniors Rights Service, Older Women’s Network NSW, Council on the Ageing NSW, Uniting NSW.ACT, Go Gentle, Dying with Dignity NSW, Cancer Voices NSW and others.
Dr Cohn’s full contribution in Parliament on the bill on 15 October can be found here.
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