MELBOURNE: An Australian state parliament has legalised euthanasia for the terminally ill with MPs voting to give patients the right to request a lethal drug to end their lives from 2019.
The Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill was passed by the state parliament of Victoria after a comprehensive, historic and passionate debate in both lower and upper houses and the legislation.
The bill will now go through an 18-month implementation period before it comes into effect in June 2019.
Victorians living with terminal illness will have access to voluntary assisted dying after detailed deliberations resulted in amendments that strengthened the bill, and maintained its vital integrity and compassion.
"Victoria is the first state to pass voluntary assisted dying laws in Australia – giving Victorians with a terminal illness the compassion and dignity they deserve at the end of their lives," Premier Daniel Andrews said.
"After two and a half years of hard work and consideration by so many in our Parliament, the passing of the bill will finally give Victorians more control, compassion and support at the end of their lives," Andrews said.
Minister for Health Jill Hennessy said the scheme will be accessible only to terminally ill Victorian adults with less than six months to live.
The legislation includes 68 safeguards, including new criminal offences to protect vulnerable people from abuse and coercion, and a special board to review all cases.