Episode 28 – How the NT's New VAD Law Falls Short of 1995

Marshall Perron drafted the world's first voluntary assisted dying legislation in 1995 as Chief Minister of the Northern Territory – decades before most nations even debated the issue, and years before it was overturned by federal intervention.

Marshall reflects on his 21 years in Northern Territory politics and the personal conviction that drove him to champion VAD reform. He unpacks the 25-year political battle that followed, including the federal override that cost countless Australians a dignified death, and the recent passing of new Northern Territory legislation that, remarkably, offers fewer protections than his original 1995 law.

Marshall discusses the ongoing fight to lift the federal telehealth ban restricting VAD access for rural and remote Australians, the political reluctance shaping this debate, and where he believes the movement must focus next – including eligibility reform and the complex question of advance directives for dementia patients.

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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