By Dominique Tassell
Deputy Premier Steven Miles has spoken out in support of the upcoming Voluntary Assisting Dying Bill, due to be before parliament later this month.
Legislation to allow access to voluntary assisted dying in Queensland will go to a conscience vote in Queensland Parliament in a few weeks.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has previously stated that the Bill “provides a chain of safeguards to ensure only those at the end of life can make these choices, and then only those capable of making that choice for themselves.“
“At its heart this reform is about love and the dignity we all share and owe to each other,“ she stated.
“I urge all Queenslanders to ensure the utmost respect for other people and other points of view.”
Deputy Premier Steven Miles says that “voluntary assisted dying laws will give individuals who are suffering and dying an additional end of live choice and enable eligible people to choose the timing and circumstances of their death”.
“A significant amount of work has gone into the proposed legislation, including multiple stages of consultation with the community, medical professionals, stakeholders and people with real-life experience watching a loved one die in pain.
He stated that the legislation was drafted by the Queensland Law Reform Commission and contains safeguards including requiring the consent of two medical practitioners, requirements around eligibility and decision-making capacity and provisions for medical practitioners and institutions to conscientiously object.
“The legislation ensures the rights of individuals to access voluntary assisted dying are balanced with the rights of an entity or health practitioner not to participate in the voluntary assisted dying process,“ he stated.
“Under the QLRC’s proposed framework, an entity is not required to provide assisted dying at its facility, but they’re required to facilitate a transfer or allow access to a qualified registered health practitioner who is willing to facilitate voluntary assisted dying.“
The Deputy Premier stated that “in some situations, requiring an individual to leave their home and transfer to a different hospice, when they’re close to death and in great pain, would subject them to pain and distress or deny them access to voluntary assisted dying“.
“It’s important the voluntary assisted dying scheme provides all Queenslanders who are suffering and dying with equal end of life choices, irrespective of where they live.
“For the sake of Queenslanders who die in pain and would like to have a choice over the timing of their death I hope these laws pass in September.”
