Breaking: Voluntary assisted dying legal nation-wide after laws pass NT parliament

The Northern Territory Parliament has passed voluntary assisted dying (VAD) legislation in a conscience vote this evening. The bill's passage brings the NT into line with the rest of Australia, meaning VAD is now legal throughout the country. Almost all of the NT's parliamentarians were in favour of legalising VAD, though some introduced amendments to the bill that were ultimately rejected. The Northern Territory Parliament has passed a bill legalising voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in the NT, with significant restrictions on accessing, and initiating conversations about, the practice. The NT is now both the first and last Australian jurisdiction to legislate for VAD after a watershed 1995 law was overturned by the Commonwealth two years later. A gag clause preventing medical professionals from starting conversations about VAD will remain in the legislation after government members voted down two attempts to remove it. Recipients of VAD will be required to have an end-of-life prognosis no greater than 12 months before accessing the service, after proposed amendments to change the eligibility criteria were also rejected. Several Country Liberal Party (CLP) backbenchers split from their government colleagues throughout the two days of debate, siding with the Labor Opposition and independent Member for Johnston Justine Davis in pushing for the gag clause and prognosis period to be amended. "These are meaningful changes and if we're just obstinate about it, if we just dig our heads in the sand, I don't think you can really call this a 'Rights of the Terminally Ill' bill anymore," CLP Member for Fong Lim Tanzil Rahman said. Member for Fannie Bay Laurie Zio also appealed to her CLP colleagues to consider the amendments, at one point reminding them they were not expected to vote along party lines. "It is a conscience vote, nobody's going to get in trouble if you're voting one way or the other, please have a think about what your electorate wants," she said. Attempts to remove the gag clause were ultimately rejected by a majority of government members, including Member for Blain Matthew Kerle, who had last week voiced support for the amendments. Dr Rahman, Ms Zio and member for Karama Brian O’Gallagher all supported the changes, joined by independent Justine Davis and all participating Labor Opposition members but the bill still had enough support to pass unamended. Labor Member for Gwoja Chansey Paech abstained from the debate. An amendment to the 12-month prognosis period was also rejected by a majority of government members, including Mr O’Gallagher, despite the Member for Karama previously seeking to extend the timeframe to two years. [Image text:] PARLIAMENT HOUSE SPEAKERS CORNER CAFE TERRITORY CRAFT