MEDIA RELEASE

Report tabled - Inquiry into the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2023

Today the Chair of Select Committee on Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2023, Ms Suzanne Orr MLA, tabled the Committee’s report for its Inquiry into Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2023.

The report made 27 recommendations covering a range of issues relating to the Bill.

Ms Orr MLA said, ‘The Committee acknowledges that Voluntary Assisted Dying is a sensitive topic, and that different people will have different views on it.  It was important to explore the views of a range of stakeholders with different views and expertise in different areas to inform this inquiry.  The Committee would like to thank those who contributed to the inquiry through submissions and appearing at the public hearings which has assisted the Committee in gaining a deeper understanding of the topic.

The Committee particularly acknowledges and thanks those who made submissions or gave evidence to the Committee based on their personal experience of their own illness or that of a family member.’

The Committee’s report, with additional comments by Mr Andrew Braddock MLA and dissenting reports by Ms Leanne Castley MLA and Mr Ed Cocks MLA, and Dr Marisa Paterson MLA, is available on the Assembly’s webpage at

https://www.parliament.act.gov.au/parliamentary-business/in-committees/recent-reports

Under the Assembly’s standing orders, the ACT Government is required to respond to Committee reports within four months of tabling.

Support for anyone affected by the issues raised in this inquiry is available from:

29 February 2024

STATEMENT ENDS.

For further information please contact:

Committee Chair, Ms Suzanne Orr MLA (02) 620 51439

Committee Secretary on (02) 6207 0524 or at LACommitteeVAD@parliament.act.gov.au