Terminally ill Territorians could soon have the right to dying legally

NT set to pass voluntary assisted dying laws today, legalising VAD Australia-widePosted Thu 27 Aug 2026 at 6:52amThu 27 Aug 2026 at 6:52amIf the new laws pass today, terminally ill Territorians will soon be able to legally access voluntary assisted dying. (ABC News: Pete Garnish)In short: The Northern Territory Parliament is expected to pass voluntary assisted dying (VAD) legislation in a conscience vote today.The bill's passage will bring the NT in line with the rest of Australia and legalise VAD across the country.Almost all of the NT's parliamentarians are in favour of legalising VAD, though some plan to introduce amendments to the government's bill.Voluntary assisted dying (VAD) laws are expected to pass the Northern Territory Parliament today, in a move that will legalise the practice across Australia.The Country Liberal Party (CLP) government's proposed legislation will go to a conscience vote today, with almost all of the NT's parliamentarians standing in favour.The NT is currently Australia's only state or territory without VAD legislation.The VAD legislation expected to pass today will bring the NT in line with the rest of Australia. (ABC News: Pete Garnish)The Northern Territory first legalised VAD in 1995, becoming the first place in Australia to do so, but the law was overturned by the federal government in 1997.It was only in 2022 that the NT, as well as the ACT, regained the power to legislate their own VAD laws with the passage of an act overturning the 25-year-old ban.Multiple NT governments have launched VAD inquiries and rounds of consultation since then, with both Territory Labor and the CLP facing criticism over the wait for legislation during their time in office.Last month the CLP government introduced its bill to parliament, ahead of today's conscience vote. Marie-Clare Boothby says the new laws will help support terminally ill Territorians and their loved ones. (ABC News: Michael Franchi)Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby said the laws would grant more rights and choices to terminally ill Territorians and their loved ones."We are doing this for the Territorians facing the end of their life," she said."We need to enlarge and grow the rights and freedoms of Territorians to give certainty to patients who are facing a terminal illness and of course to give a sense of that security to their loved ones as they navigate grief with choice and dignity."The bill has this week been surrounded by heated debate, after government backbencher Tanzil Rahman spoke out about his own party's proposed laws and said he would put forward amendments in parliament today.Those amendments target clauses in the bill that would only allow access to voluntary assisted dying for people with 12 months or less left to live, and bar healthcare professionals from initiating conversations about VAD with patients — a so-called "gag clause".Both clauses go against the recommendations of a report by a parliamentary inquiry, led by Dr Rahman, tabled in October last year.Dr Rahman's amendments are unlikely to pass on Thursday, with just six MLAs saying on Tuesday they would definitely support changes to the bill.Opposition Leader Selena Uibo is also planning to move similar amendments to Dr Rahman, but it is currently unclear how many Labor MLAs will support them.