The WA Government has received an expert report which outlines recommendations for the development of voluntary assisted dying laws, due to be introduced into State Parliament later in 2019.
The report by the Ministerial Expert Panel on Voluntary Assisted Dying was tabled in Parliament. The panel, chaired by Malcolm McCusker AC QC, includes clinicians along with experts in law and palliative care.
The panel made 31 recommendations for the proposed legislation after consulting widely to seek the views of Western Australia’s diverse community, experts in the field and special interest groups.
It also closely considered the international experience in jurisdictions where similar laws exist, as well as the Victorian legislation which came into effect on June 19, 2019.
The report outlines an approach to giving eligible people at the end of their life access to voluntary assisted dying, while ensuring there is a stringent approval process in place for these decisions.
The panel’s recommendations also address the need for strong safeguards in the assessment of a person’s capacity as well as strict eligibility conditions.
Consultations were held in 11 metropolitan and regional centres across the State from March 2019 to May 2019, and the community could also participate online. This was the biggest program of consultation ever undertaken by WA Health; 867 people attended consultation sessions and a further 541 provided written submissions.
The purpose of the expert panel’s final report is to assist the development of fully informed and workable legislation, not to review or debate the arguments for or against voluntary assisted dying.
In November 2018, the WA Government announced that it would introduce legislation into State Parliament to enable voluntary assisted dying in Western Australia, following recommendations made by a Joint Select Committee aimed at strengthening and adapting the way the health system delivers end-of life choices and palliative care.
Source: WA Government