THE federal Greens want national voluntary euthanasia laws that will make it easier for people to import lethal drugs, and for the states and territories to follow Victoria's lead and legalise assisted dying.
A vote in Victoria's upper house last week paved the way for the state to become the first to legalise voluntary euthanasia. The bill will be sent back to the lower house, which has already voted in favour of the legislation once, for final approval.
Greens leader Richard Di Natale will in 2018 introduce a new voluntary assisted dying bill that is designed to allow drugs like Nembutal – which can be used to end a person's life – to be imported to Australia without being confiscated by the Australian Border Force.
The bill is designed to pave the way for debate in other states and territories about euthanasia laws and, will be based on the Victorian laws, and will provide a national framework for the debate.
Crucially, Senator Di Natale will also attempt to overturn federal laws that stop the ACT and the Northern Territory from legalising euthanasia.
The Northern Territory legalised euthanasia back in 1995 but two years later, the Howard government used the constitutional powers federal governments have over territories to overturn that legislation.
The move by the Greens leader comes as conservative MPs fight a rearguard action to ensure additional religious protections are put in place ahead of the legalisation of same-sex marriage laws in the next fortnight.
Senator Di Natale would likely face stiff opposition to a national framework from more conservative MPs in both the Coalition and the Labor party.
But after an exhaustive debate in Victoria over the issue, he said the Greens wanted to use the Victorian model as a starting point, though "obviously each state should have its own debate and arrive at any changes that are appropriate to its individual circumstances".
"As a doctor I understand how important choice and control is for people with a terminal illness is in their final weeks of life and their families. Having provided palliative care to many terminally ill patients in the course of my career, it's clear as day to me that which side of the Murray someone lives on should not be the factor that dictates whether or not they have access to compassionate end of life care," he said.
"No one should have to suffer needlessly with a terminal illness simply because of their postcode."
Some of the safeguards that would be included in a national bill could include a person having to be over 18, an Australian citizen or permanent resident, similar time frames to Victoria, making the request themselves – and doing so three times – medical assessments by two GPs and exemptions for doctors who conscientiously object to participating.
Victoria is set to become the first Australian state to legalise euthanasia. The laws are expected to come into effect in June 2019.
The new laws will give terminally ill Victorians with less than six months to live and who are in intolerable pain the right to ask to end their lives. That timeframe will be extended to 12 months for people with neurodegenerative diseases.
