Dying With Dignity Victoria

The Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill has been passed by the Victorian Parliament. In this final episode of the DWD Podcast, we recap the outcome, and take a look at the effect this success will have on other states around Australia. We speak to Dr Rodney Syme and DWDV president Lesley Vick, to get their thoughts on the historic passing of Victoria's assisted dying law. For further information on Voluntary Assisted Dying: https://www.dwdv.org.au/contactus

This week the Victorian Parliament will resume debate on the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill. With a final vote on the legislation imminent, we spoke to Associate Professor, Liz Dzeng, who provides great insight into the considerations for implementing an assisted dying law. Roy Morgan Research survey: http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7373-large-majority-of-australians-in-favour-of-euthanasia-201711100349 Vic parliament live-stream (select 'Council Live'): https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/video-and-audio/live-broadcasting DWDV Twitter: https://twitter.com/dwdvic Stop Victorians Suffering Twitter: https://twitter.com/gogentle_aus

The Upper House of parliament voted the VAD Bill through to the next stage of debate. This week, we recap the debate in Parliament, and take a look at what to expect when debate resumes on November 14. Channel 9 News report: https://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/11/03/15/23/assisted-dying-laws-upper-house Hansard Speeches: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/hansard/daily-hansard/3389-council-2017 Tara Cheyne MLC speech in ACT Parliament: https://twitter.com/In_The_Taratory Canberra Times article: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/vote-to-allow-act-to-make-own-euthanasia-laws-could-happen-in-2018-leyonhjelm-20171101-gzcmzt.html

Debate on the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill begins in the Upper House of the Victorian Parliament this week. As a committee member for the Inquiry into End of Life Choices, Fiona Patten MP has some great insights into the VAD Bill and the need for safe and compassionate end of life choices. In this episode, Fiona lets us know what to expect in Parliament debate this week. Aus Medical Students Association statement: http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/australian-medical-students-association-throw-support-behind-voluntary-assisted-dying-putting-them-at-odds-with-amas-euthanasia-stance-20171024-gz7ngg.html Reason Party: http://www.reason.org.au

The Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill was successfully voted through the Lower House of the Victorian Parliament. In this episode we wrap up all of last week's debate, and provide info about what comes next in the push to secure a VAD law in Victoria. RACGP statement of support: https://www.racgp.org.au/yourracgp/news/media-releases/racgp-welcomes-moves-to-allow-terminally-ill-victorian-patients-to-die-with-dignity-and-respect-(1)/ Victorian Law Foundation assisted dying forum: https://www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/events/the-law-and-you-forum-perspectives-on-voluntary-assisted-dying Contact your Upper House MPs: https://www.dwdv.org.au/takeaction/join-our-campaign

Julian Gardner served on the Ministerial Advisory Panel that conducted private and public consultations in 2017 before developing the model for Victoria's Voluntary Assisted Dying law. We sat down with Julian to get his insight into Voluntary Assisted Dying and the legal sector. Brian Owler National Press Club address: http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/national-press-club/2017-10-13/national-press-club:-brian-owler/9047378 Victorian Law Foundation assisted dying forum on 26 October. All welcome to this free event: https://www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/events/the-law-and-you-forum-perspectives-on-voluntary-assisted-dying

Since appearing in a DWDV campaign video earlier this year, Harry Gardner has been busy visiting as many Victorian MPs as he can to voice his support for Voluntary Assisted Dying. Despite suffering from terminal prostate cancer, Harry has relished the chance to engage with MPs and hopefully convince them to legalise assisted dying for people like him. Harry Gardner Campaign Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywG-4XD94ZY&t=3s Maroondah Leader article: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/outer-east/assisted-dying-in-victoria-harry-gardner-becomes-face-of-push-to-change-laws/news-story/b596cbd2a722b3e544a1505c5e8bee92 Robin Collins article in the Sunday Age: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/backyard-euthanasia-the-shocking-cases-that-could-change-the-law-20171006-gyw30r.html DWDV Twitter Forum: https://www.dwdv.org.au/takeaction/twitter-forum

With Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation tabled in the Victorian Parliament, we caught up with DWDV President Lesley Vick, to get her thoughts on the proposed law, and how things have progressed since the Northern Territory law operated in 1997. Jenny Moncur article in The Age: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/assisted-dying-he-was-jennys-most-important-patient-but-she-couldnt-help-him-20170928-gyqtww.html LA Times article on unforeseen benefits of Assisted Dying law: http://www.latimes.com/health/la-me-end-of-life-care-20170821-htmlstory.html DWDV Statement on tabling of legislation: https://www.dwdv.org.au/news/dwdv-statement-on-tabling-of-legislation-in-vic-parliament

Nurses are at the frontline of our health care and they play a very important roll in people's end of life care. In this episode we sit down with Nurse and Assisted Dying advocate, Tara Nipe to get her insights into end of life suffering and the need for Voluntary Assisted Dying laws. ABC 774 interview with Jill Hennessy: http://www.abc.net.au/radio/melbourne/programs/mornings/jill-hennessys-mother-dies-before-assisted-dying-laws-introduced/8963340 Contact Your MP: https://www.dwdv.org.au/takeaction/join-our-campaign-2/writeemailphone-your-mp

Fade to Black is a film that chronicles the efforts of terminally ill man, Peter Short, to bring awareness to the need for Voluntary Assisted Dying laws in Australia. In this week's episode we chat with Peter's wife, Elizabeth, to get her thoughts on the film and find out what responses she has received from the people who have seen the documentary. To book tickets to Fade to Black: https://au.demand.film/fade-to-black/ 3AW interview with Nia Sims: http://www.3aw.com.au/podcast/assisted-dying-campaigner-nia-sims-on-fathers-story-now-laid-bare-in-horrifying-detail/ Stop The Horror: http://stopthehorror.com/?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=stop-the-horror The Saturday Age article: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/righttodie-laws-more-mps-prepared-to-face-the-darkness-and-vote-yes-20170914-gyhhl5.html Contact your MP: https://www.dwdv.org.au/takeaction/join-our-campaign

In this weeks episode we chat to Denise Allen, a former Victorian Member of Parliament who has an impressive career as a disability advocate. Dr Nick Carr article: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/gps-best-placed-to-make-life-and-death-decisions-nick-carr/news-story/2e5bdd6249a964706c87541735e941a4