Update to proposed Victorian assisted dying legislation

Victoria is now one step closer to legalising assisted dying.

The Victorian State Government has agreed to a number of amendments to its Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill, in order to ensure that the bill passes the Senate.

Under the current bill, adults suffering from a terminal illness who are expected to live less than 12 months would be able to access lethal drugs.

However, under the agreed changes the required expected life expectancy has been reduced to six months, unless the person is suffering from a neurodegenerative condition, in which case it remains at 12 months.

The changes also increase the funding for palliative care in regional and rural Victoria, restrict eligibility to those who have lived in Victoria for at least 12 months,, and require that the person’s cause of death include reference to the assisted dying.

A final vote could be held in the Senate this week. If the amendments are passed, the bill will be sent back to the Lower House for ratification.