Senator David Pocock strongly advocated the ACT’s fight for VAD. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
The architect of Australia’s first Voluntary Assisted Dying Laws believes the ACT is uniquely placed to lead the rest of the country when it finally puts to the vote what the process might look like in Canberra.
Marshall Perron, who as Chief Minister of the Northern Territory 27 years ago set the hounds running by introducing Australia’s first euthanasia laws, strongly believes Canberrans would support laws that would give 16 and 17 year olds with a terminal illness, and people with non-life threatening illnesses, access to VAD.
But ACT Independent Senator David Pocock, who played a significant role in getting the ACT the right to even vote on VAD, is not so sure. He heard from a lot of people while he was campaigning ahead of the last election, and then when he identified the Territory’s right to vote on VAD as a major issue.
Very few of those expressed an appetite for anything more than the laws currently in place around the rest of Australia. That is, VAD for 18-year-olds and over, and only for those with terminal illnesses.
The ACT Government has indicated it is considering lowering the age below 18. It stipulates in its discussion paper that it should only apply to “mature” teenagers, and there would need to be lots of other safeguards in place.
Perron agrees. He said parental approval and support would be a must, and there would need to be mental health checks carried out. His list of non-terminal illnesses that might be included on a qualifying list for VAD included Parkinson’s Disease and chronic, incurable pain conditions.
Perron believes the ACT Government, which he describes as one of the most progressive in the country, is ideally suited to push the envelope on assisted dying. He points out that, internationally, there is nothing particularly groundbreaking about what he is advocating and that many European countries have had these laws in place for some time.
There is clearly a majority of supporters in the legislative assembly for VAD. A handful would have no problem adopting what Marshall Perron believes is the logical next step. After all, the ACT is also looking at the possibility of involving nurse practitioners in the administering process, which is a step largely untested in Australia.
Other MLAs, though, may think long and hard about whether this is the right thing to do.
For sure, there will be some nervousness about how far to push Canberrans on this. Polls have clearly shown majority support for VAD, but the test of how far those laws should go has not been carried out yet.
There is the risk that opening the door for more people to end their lives, and especially 16 and 17 year olds, may be a bridge too far for some. It will add a controversial aspect to a community discussion that could easily have crossed the finish line without barely raising a sweat.
A consultation period began in early February and came to an end earlier this month. A ‘listening report’ summarising the mood of the community is expected soon. Then we will get an understanding of whether Marshall Perron is right, and whether the ACT is ready to go where no other Australian State or Territory has gone before.
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