Victoria was the first Australian jurisdiction to pass Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) legislation in 2017. It is now considered the most ‘conservative’ VAD law in Australia. However, following a five-year review recently released, there is a push to rewrite the legislation to bring it in line with other jurisdictions. A new law is expected to be introduced at the end of this year. The proposed changes will:
- Allow doctors to proactively discuss VAD with patients.
- Extend application eligibility from the current 6 months to 12 months of life expectancy.
- Reduce the number of required medical assessments from three to two.
Concerningly, the Government has indicated that health practitioners who conscientiously object to VAD will be required to provide minimum information to patients. The review suggested that conscientious objection is “inconsistent with person-centred care.” In other words, Christian doctors and nurses will be forced to mention VAD to patients despite it being against their faith. We urge you to keep this in your prayers as the Government conducts further consultations before introducing new legislation.
Source: Australian Christian Lobby