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Tasmania Set To Become Third State In Australia To Allow Assisted Dying

Tasmania Set To Become Third State In Australia To Allow Assisted Dying

It follows Victoria and Western Australia, which have also legalised voluntary assisted dying​.

Jessica Lynch

Jessica Lynch

Tasmania is set to become the third state in Australia to legalise voluntary assisted dying after the legislation passed in the state's parliament.

The bill was introduced by Independent Legislative Councillor Mike Gaffney, who said it had been 'three years of hard work'.

"I didn't think I was going to be and as we went through the clauses, the amendments, I thought, God, this is finally going to get through," he said.

"It's been two-and-a-half, three years of hard work and it's a good bill. I'm really pleased I've been able to be part of it."

The passing of the bill had been a long and arduous process, with the legislation being presented to the Tasmanian Parliament four times since 2009.

"It will give those Tasmanians who are suffering intolerably, who are eligible the right to choose [to end their life]," Gaffney said.

:bangbang::x: BREAKING NEWS :x::bangbang: The debate is finally over: Voluntary Assisted Dying is now law in TASMANIA...

Gaffney added that he was 'pleased' to be part of the process that saw the legislation passed.

"Very rarely do bills originate in the Upper House. I think in the last 12 years there's been 10 or 11 bills and only four of those have ever passed ... this bill is huge, this is a big bill about a big issue and it originated in the Upper House."

Tassie will soon join Victoria and Western Australia as the jurisdictions who have also legalised voluntary assisted dying.

It is now expected to take up to 18 months to implement the new laws in Tasmania.

Sisters and voluntary assisted dying activists, Natalie and Jacqui Gray, celebrated the passing of the bill after promising their mother Diane, who died of gastric cancer in 2019, they would fight for it to be legalised.

"We're representing the majority of Tasmanians who desperately want voluntary assisted dying legalised in Tasmania to ensure Tasmanians have the right to a compassionate end of life choice," Jacqui Gray said previously.

After the bill passed, the pair wrote on the Your Choice TAS Facebook page: "Tasmania - today, we have ALL won!"

"Thank you endlessly to every supporter who has raised their voices, donated their time or services, offered advice, sent MP emails, proudly erected signs, shared personal experiences, written to the media, distributed flyers, displayed bumper stickers, donated money, AND kept the VAD conversation alive.

"You have ALL filled our hearts with so much love and light."

Featured Image Credit: Flickr

Topics: Australia