Public consultation now open on legislation around Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD)

Public consultation now open on legislation around Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD)

Tasmanians are invited to have their say on how the legislation relative to Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) is operating, following its introduction in October 2022.

The consultation forms an important part of a statutory review of the End-of-Life Choices (Voluntary Assisted Dying) Act 2021, which requires an independent assessment of the law after its first three years. The review is being conducted by an expert independent panel to understand how the legislation is working in practice and to identify any areas for improvement

Community feedback will play an important role in shaping the panel’s findings and informing its recommendations. Individuals, carers, families, health professionals, and organisations are all encouraged to share their experiences and perspectives.There are several ways to contribute:

• Written submissions or free-form feedback
• Email submissions
• An online survey (expected to open in early May and remain available for six weeks)
• In-person consultation sessions, taking place in northern Tasmania during the week commencing 27 April, and in southern Tasmania during the week commencing 1 June

Some individuals and organisations may also receive invitations to participate in targeted consultation sessions. Those who wish to meet with the panel outside of the public consultation process can request this via email, and the panel will endeavour to accommodate these requests.

All responses will be treated with care and confidentiality, contributors will not be identified in the final report unless they explicitly request to be named. Any quotes used will have identifying information removed.

The independent panel leading the review includes Professor Emerita the Honourable Kate Warner AC, Professor Ben White, and Professor Michael Ashby, who were appointed earlier this year following an expression of interest process.

This consultation provides an opportunity for Tasmanians to contribute to an important discussion about end-of-life choices and care.

We will continue to share updates, including when the survey becomes available.

For more information about the consultation, including how to participate, please visit the official website.