While the Royal Commission continues its important work investigating the quality and safety of our aged care system to change it for the better, there’s also another state-specific process going on – QLD’s Inquiry into aged care, end-of-life and palliative care and voluntary assisted dying (VAD).
Lead by a Queensland Parliamentary Committee, the Inquiry aims to investigate whether Queenslanders should be allowed the right to die at a time of their choosing, and to consider the future of aged care, and how the terminally ill and their loved ones are supported.
After a callout for comments from the public in February this year, the Inquiry has already received over 5,000 submissions – more than the 3,000 the Royal Commission has currently received.
The submissions so far are mostly focused on palliative care and assisted dying (rather than aged care).
Advocacy groups supporting voluntary euthanasia – like Dying with Dignity or Go Gentle Australia – have been encouraging their members to write into the Inquiry with their thoughts.
And just like the Commission, there have been public forums across the state, so if you’re in Queensland and would like to share your experiences, thoughts and ideas directly with Committee representatives, you can do so. Find out more HERE.
Will the QLD Inquiry pave the way for more just like it in other states and territories?
We wouldn’t be surprised – these are extremely tough and challenging issues, and all Australians deserve to have their say.
In fact, the Royal Commission will be tackling one of them very soon. Once of the focus points for the hearings in Perth next month will be palliative care.
The Royal Commission is also still taking submissions until the end of September if you would like to make a comment on this important issue.
Discussion1 Comment
My name is Tanya Battel and I am a lobbyist/activist for the introduction of Voluntary Assisted Dying Legislation in Queensland, though I lobby and network with others across the globe, including New Zealand and the United Kingdom. My social media platform is called VALE – Voluntary Assisted Life Ending. I also happen to be living with Stage IV incurable metastatic breast cancer – diagnosed in 2016 after a 20 year battle with the disease. Yes, the Inquiry has received over 5,500 Submissions. Yesterday the Chair of the Inquiry, Aaron Harper, confirmed that 80% of the Submissions are in support of VAD legislation and this aligns with decades of polling which demonstrates community support. So what is the road block? Politics – Politicians with different Party Policies, Religious groups opposed in accordance with their own faith. So what about the individual? What about me, actually living with this disease (and having had the experience of nursing two parents through horrific cancer journeys)? I don’t share a faith that does not support assisted dying at the end of life, to ensure a peaceful death. My politics do not align with not receiving assistance at the end of life when there is no cure. It’s about the person living with the disease and who has to live through the end stage. Let’s remember that Voluntary Assisted Dying is not about ending life, it’s about ending suffering when there is no final curtain call.