Voices From Voluntary Assisted Dying28 Apr

Episode 22 - How the ACT Legalised Voluntary Assisted Dying

ACT Attorney-General Tara Cheyne reflects on the long and complex journey to legalise voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in the ACT, from the overturning of Northern Territory laws in 1997 to the restoration of territory rights in 2022 and the passage of ACT legislation in 2024. She outlines the deliberate, community-led approach taken to design a more compassionate and practical framework, removing rigid prognosis timeframes, enabling open conversations between clinicians and patients, and expanding the role of nurse practitioners.

Ms Cheyne highlights the human impact behind her advocacy, shaped by her father’s end-of-life experience, and argues that VAD should sit alongside palliative care as part of a continuum of choice. She also addresses ongoing challenges, particularly federal restrictions on telehealth, which continue to limit access for vulnerable patients. The conversation underscores the importance of dignity, autonomy and continued reform.

Comprehensive information on Voluntary Assisted Dying in Your State is provided on the Go Gentle website at https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/vad_in_your_state or by contacting your State Health Department.

If listening to this podcast raises distressing issues for you, please contact one of the following support services:
Griefline (https://griefline.org.au/) 1300 845 745
Grief Australia (https://www.grief.org.au/) 1800 642 745
Lifeline (https://www.lifeline.org.au/) 13 11 14, or chat online 24 hours a day

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Episoder(26)

Episode 26 – Sandra’s journey to access VAD

This year, Sandra was diagnosed with the same aggressive lung cancer that took her father's life. Having spent thirteen years as an ambulance clinician and watched her father suffer through chemothera...

26 Jul 25min

Episode 25 – Nicole

The experience of voluntary assisted dying is shaped not only by legislation, but by access. Nicole’s family discovered that geography, travel requirements and gaps in healthcare services can create s...

28 Jun 22min

Episode 24 – Why We Need Better Conversations About Dying

Death is universal, yet modern society often treats it as something hidden, feared and rarely discussed. Cultural anthropologist and Buddhist scholar Dr Hannah Gould explores how religion, medicine, m...

14 Jun 42min

Episode 23 - The Rural Reality of Voluntary Assisted Dying with Dr Tim Leeuwenburg

Access to voluntary assisted dying can depend heavily on where a patient lives. Rural doctor Dr Tim Leeuwenburg sees this firsthand through his work on Kangaroo Island, where patients often face long ...

31 Mai 27min

Episode 21 – From Advocacy to Law: The Evolution of VAD in New Zealand

Voluntary assisted dying can provide dignity and relief at the end of life, but legislation must balance access with safeguards. Ann David, former President of New Zealand’s End of Life Choice Society...

23 Mar 43min

Episode 20 – Dr Laureen Lawlor-Smith’s own reflections on VAD

Roles are reversed this episode as Dr Laureen Lawlor-Smith – who normally sits in the host’s chair – is interviewed by previous guest, Jane Nosworthy, VAD support group facilitator with Dying With Dig...

9 Mar 45min

Episode 19 - Inside Victoria’s Voluntary Assisted Dying Reforms

Jane Morris, President of Dying with Dignity Victoria, traces her lifelong commitment to voluntary assisted dying, shaped by childhood experiences, nursing practice, bioethics study, and the traumatic...

28 Jan 48min