THREE weeks out from the first sitting of the new Queensland parliament, all 93 members have been asked to think and talk with their constituents about assisted dying.
The request comes from beyond the grave - a clause in the will of former Brisbane lord mayor Clem Jones left $5 million to influence euthanasia reforms in Australia.
Mr Jones was lord mayor from 1961-75 and died in late 2007.
Clem Jones Trust chair David Muir this week wrote to all members of Queensland Parliament urging them to begin the conversation.
He wants an inquiry into potential reforms in Queensland that could lead to agreed changes as seen in Victoria last November.
"Unlike other states, the Queensland Parliament has not debated this important subject and that should not continue in the 56th parliament," Mr Muir told The Senior.
"It's time to conduct an inquiry into potential reforms that could lead to change. As a first step, Queensland's parliamentarians need to know what their constituents want."
Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, Transport Minister Mark Bailey, Employment Minister Shannon Fentiman and Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe have publicly supported assisted dying legislative reforms.
However, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday said she had not made up her mind on the issue and did not consider the subject to be up for consideration now.
She wants to see how Victoria implements its new laws that come into effect in mid-2019.
Mr Muir told The Senior there was no excuse to delay discussion.
"This is not a political issue. It is an issue of compassion, a personal issue, an issue of conscience," he said.
"For most people, at the end of life, good palliative care will be enough.
"There will always be some for whom palliative care cannot help. They should have the choice of a good death, not a bad death."
Hope Australia, the coalition of groups opposed to the legalisation of euthanasia, could not be contacted for comment.
Queensland Parliament resumes on February 13.
Victoria became the first state to pass laws enabling assisted dying in November.
The issue failed to be passed in NSW last year and was narrowly defeated in South Australia in late 2016.
Western Australia is about to undertake a public inquiry into dying with dignity.
