NT Voluntary Assisted Dying

Legislation Expected Early Next Year

Freedom for Faith Continues Advocacy

Freedom for Faith will continue to make submissions to the Northern Territory Government following a parliamentary report that provides drafting instructions for a new law on Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD). In August, Freedom for Faith made a submission to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory urging the Government to protect the fundamental human rights of other people involved—especially medical practitioners and faith communities—who may be asked to participate in VAD against their strongly held beliefs.

Read Freedom for Faith’s submission here

Protecting Rights of Conscientious Objectors

The submission did not debate the merits of VAD but emphasised that if legalised in the Northern Territory, laws must protect the fundamental human rights of medical practitioners, faith communities, and others who object. It argued against compulsory referrals, mandatory disclosure of beliefs, and restrictions on institutional conscience, highlighting the importance of privacy rights and non-discrimination. Freedom for Faith called for universal recognition of conscience rights, regardless of profession, to safeguard dignity and religious freedom.

Committee Recommendations and Government Response

The latest report by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, released last month, supported the 2024 Expert Panel Report recommendations that health professionals should be allowed to conscientiously object to participating in any VAD framework under NT legislation. However, it also supported requiring conscientious objectors to inform requesting patients of available VAD services via referrals.

The Committee recommended that health or care entities, such as public and private hospitals, hospices and residential aged care facilities, that object to VAD may refuse to participate in VAD.

There are several other significant concerns for faith communities that don’t directly impact on religious freedom. These include:

• No requirement of a prognosis with a specific timeframe to death.
• Eligibility if a person even anticipates enduring suffering.
• Listing the underlying illness as the cause of death.
• Health care workers initiating discussions about VAD.

Next Steps for Legislation

The Country Liberal Party (CLP) Government has dismissed a proposed bill by Labor and is expected to table its own legislation in the first parliamentary sitting in February next year. If introduced on schedule, the bill could be passed as early as March.