Vic MPs soon to vote on euthanasia laws

A government report into voluntary euthanasia has been released and Victoria will now begin drafting laws to go before parliament by the end of the year.

Victorian politicians will have a conscience vote on voluntary euthanasia with legislation set to come before parliament later this year.

Details of the proposed assisted dying laws are outlined in the Andrews government's Ministerial Advisory Panel report on voluntary assisted dying, released on Friday.

There are 66 recommendations and 68 safeguards to be debated, including offences for inducing a patient to request assisted dying.

The medication - which is yet to be finalised - would be dispensed in a lockable box by a pharmacist.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy said the state government will reply to the report within weeks, and have legislation before parliament by the end of 2017.

Assisted dying could be in practice by 2019.

"Too many people have been denied compassion at the end of their lives. We can and must do better," the minister said.

The panel said its approach was compassionate but conservative, with strict eligibility criteria and rigorous assessments.

A patient would need to be expected to die within 12 months, show sufficient mental capacity to make the decision, and be a Victorian resident aged at least 18 years.

"(This) is not a framework that allows people a choice between living and dying," panel chairman and neurosurgeon Professor Brian Owler said.

"It is a compassionate response to people who are already dying and suffering and gives them a choice about the timing and manner of their death."

A Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board would be set up to review each case and report any breaches, and it would also report to parliament every six months.

If a bill were passed, Victoria would become the first Australian jurisdiction to legalise assisted dying since the Northern Territory's legislation in 1995, which was overturned by the federal government two years later.


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Source: AAP



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