Northern Territory Government Attorney-General, Marie-Clare Boothby, has written to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee (LCAC) to request an inquiry into last year’s ‘Voluntary Assisted Dying in the Northern Territory’ report.
The 2024 report, developed by an independent expert advisory panel, co-chaired by the Hon Vicki O’Halloran AO CVO and Duncan McConnel SC, sought to develop a framework for voluntary assisted dying in the Northern Territory.
The report panel undertook a wide range of public consultation for voluntary assisted dying from August 2023 to May 2024. During this period, the panel visited Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine, Alice Springs, Nhulunbuy, Jabiru, Tennant Creek and Wadeye. Members heard from over 350 individual participants through public forums and meetings, met with around 60 organisations, received 98 written submissions and almost 1,400 survey responses.
The report detailed 22 recommendations for the Government to consider.
Following on from the report, the Attorney-General said the proposed terms of reference for the LCAC are to:
- Prepare a consolidated consultation paper, drawing upon previous reports, inquiries, proposals, and the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995 (NT);
- Consult extensively with communities across the Northern Territory, particularly in remote areas, to gather views on the possible introduction of voluntary assisted dying in the NT;
- Evaluate different voluntary assisted dying models and safeguards, with a focus on those that would be appropriate for the Northern Territory context;
- Identify any specific challenges associated with delivering voluntary assisted dying in the Northern Territory;
- If the Committee recommends adoption, provide drafting instructions for model legislation to give effect to voluntary assisted dying in the NT.
Attorney-General Boothby has requested the Committee’s report by 30 September.
Read the report into voluntary assisted dying in the Northern Territory PDF (4.0 MB).
Australia