Sticking points in assisted dying Bill

A UNIVERSITY of Tasmania review of Tasmania’s proposed voluntary assisted dying (VAD) scheme has identified points for consideration if the scheme is passed into law.

VAD legislation tabled by independent Mersey MLC Mike Gaffney is yet to undergo a final vote in the House of Assembly.

Premier Peter Gutwein asked an independent panel from the university to conduct a review of the End-of-Life Choices (Voluntary Assisted Dying) Bill 2020.

The university’s 114-page report, released late on Monday, identified three aspects of the Bill that required further consideration:

WHETHER the safeguards included in the Bill to protect vulnerable people were appropriately balanced with the need to establish a VAD system;

WHETHER the proposed regime for organisational nonparticipation balanced the need to promote individual access to VAD; and

HOW guidelines for professional practice within the VAD scheme should be administered.

Duelling press releases came from the government media office following the report’s release. Mr Gutwein, who supported the legislation, said all MPs had been provided with the review and advice from government agencies.

“This is in line with the commitment I made last year, and will allow all members to be fully informed on the Bill to ensure that if passed, the legislation is the best law possible and that it affords real protections for the most vulnerable in our community,” he said.

Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson, a conservative MP and former health minister, who opposed the legislation, said the review raised more questions than answers.

“Many people will be surprised to find how a Bill so problematic was ever described as safe and strong,” Mr Ferguson said.

“For the heads of health, justice and police to find 139 problems with the Bill proves that there remains a massive task ahead before any responsible parliament could pass it into law in just one week from now.”

The legislation will be the first order of business for the House of Assembly when state parliament resumes next week.