Palaszczuk launches euthanasia inquiry

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced an inquiry into aged care, palliative care and euthanasia.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at the Labor conference.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is expected to make a major announcement on Sunday. (AAP)

All aspects of aged care, including euthanasia, will be canvassed in a new Queensland government inquiry, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced.

Ms Palaszczuk told the Labor state conference in Brisbane on Sunday, a parliamentary review would examine the state's aged care sector.

"Too many families are troubled by the cost and complexity of aged care," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"Every single person wants to know that their loved one gets the best possible support, care and services."

The premier told Labor rank and file she would add the issue to the COAG national agenda this year and announced the state government would also hold an inquiry into palliative care and euthanasia.

"This is an issue we must discuss, this is an issue we must confront," she said.

Voluntary euthanasia laws were passed in Victoria by the state's Labor government last year, and a parliamentary committee recently recommended the introduction of laws in Western Australia.

The Queensland's Opposition's official position is against voluntary assisted dying.

Liberal National Party Deputy Leader Tim Mander says the opposition agrees palliative care services can be improved and should be the focus of the review.

But he says now is not the time for the government to prioritise euthanasia.

"We think there are other things it should be focusing on, things about cost of living issues, traffic and congestion issues," Mr Mander said.

He added it was too early to say whether LNP MPs would be allowed to vote with their conscience on any proposed assisted dying laws.

But euthanasia advocates say Queensland had fallen behind other states in discussing the issue.

"Every other state parliament in our nation has had a debate about voluntary euthanasia except for Queensland," Clem Jones Trust chair David Muir said.

"The importance of the inquiry is that it be open to all Queenslanders, that you have all stakeholders involved in end of life issues, all religious groups, all political groups."

He said Queensland supporters of euthanasia had been advocating for its legalisation for 20 years.


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Source: AAP



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