FROM THE AHHA DESK
AHHA in the news
19 JUNE 2019
Victoria’s ‘citizen-driven’ voluntary assisted dying laws Australia’s first enduring voluntary assisted dying laws came into effect on 19 June 2019 in Victoria. ‘The laws are not only a major shift in the response
‘In 2018 AHHA published two research papers on this topic in our peer-reviewed Australian Health Review journal—Documenting the process of
to end of life —they are a watershed in the rise of
developing the Victorian assisted dying legislation
the consumer voice in health’, Australian Healthcare
(author team led by Professor Margaret O’Connor,
and Hospitals Association (AHHA) Chief Executive
Monash University), and the Future of assisted
Alison Verhoeven said.
dying reform in Australia (by Professors Ben White
‘Public support for voluntary assisted dying is very
and Lindy Willmott, Queensland University of
strong—it was estimated at 75% in an ABC survey
Technology). Professor White is an associate editor
back in 2016—so the movement towards legislative
with the Australian Health Review.
reform is not surprising. ‘It is likely other states will follow Victoria’s lead in due course. ‘The key to legislative change in Victoria was the approach taken in developing the new laws. It was
‘The authors argued that the rise of individualism and personal autonomy in society has been a key factor in changing social attitudes to issues such as assisted dying’, Ms Verhoeven said. ‘They argued that “restlessness” in democratic
citizen-driven and inclusive, combining evidence,
societies can be attributed to individuals seeking to
science and social action’, Ms Verhoeven said.
maximise their places in society through expressing
‘Accordingly, the laws are cautious, with many safeguards—but they have been agreed on and passed. 8
The Health Advocate • AUGUST 2019
their individuality and autonomy in various ways. ‘This includes making their own informed choices in healthcare, in the context of a more equal
