Decision looms on dying Bill

Special sitting tipped for MLCs to clear final hurdle

A MAJOR hurdle in the latest push to legalise voluntary assisted dying in Tasmania could be cleared as soon as Friday morning.

Legislative Council members are expected to agree to a special sitting starting at 9am as they near a decision on the Bill, that would give terminally ill people in intolerable suffering the legal right to end their life.

MLCs debated amendments during a marathon and at times emotion- charged session on Tuesday that spanned more than 15 hours.

They had two clauses — out of the more than 140 in the Bill — remaining to consider when they adjourned proceedings after midnight.

If MLCs pass the legislation, it would still need to go through the House of Assembly, where MPs will have a conscience vote.

But if the Legislative Council does give the green light, it will be the furthest such laws have reached, after attempts in 2009, 2013 and 2017 were introduced in the Lower House and foiled.

Sisters Jacqui and Natalie

Gray support the Bill and have sat through the entire parliamentary proceedings.

They formed Your Choice Tas after a promise they made to their gravely ill mother, Diane, who suffered intolerable pain leading up to her death last year after a stomach cancer diagnosis.

The sisters said they were cautiously optimistic the Bill would be passed on Friday.

“There is no shying away from the fact this is what Tasmania wants … we’re feeling confident,’’ Jacqui said.

The sisters said the legislation had been critiqued and finetuned by MLCs and believed if passed by the Legislative Council, the Bill would gain momentum on its way to the House of Assembly.

Mersey MLC Mike Gaffney, who introduced the

legislation as a private member’s Bill, said he expected his colleagues to vote to meet again on Friday.

“There will be a number of Tasmanians watching [ on Friday] to see which way their elected representative votes on this Bill,’’ he said.

The Bill has been backed by groups like Dying with Dignity Tasmania, but opposed by religious groups.

Sisters and lead petitioners Natalie and Jacqui Gray look on during the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill debate in the Legislative Council. Picture: Zak Simmonds