The Northern Territory has now legislated for the right of terminally ill individuals to access Volunytary Assisted Dying (VAD).

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-27/nt-to-pass-voluntary-assisted-dying-bill-in-parliament/107087354

The Northern Territory is, ironically, both the first jurisdiction to introduce VAD (in 1995, prior to it being overturned by the Commonwealth Government), and now the last to introduce it.

A truly marvellous piece of news, and great work by the many people who have long advocated for this right!

“Voluntary assisted dying care navigators help Victoria’s end-of-life patients chart a course for choice.”

In the article, two VAD Care Navigators in Victoria are interviewed about their role and what is involved in the process. These Care Navigators describe the privilege of being involved with people  exercising choice to end their suffering on their own terms. Also discussed are the changes to Victoria’s VAD legislation, taking effect in April 2027, which will extend the life-expectancy criterion from 6 months to 12 months, as well as removing the gag clause that currently precludes health professionals from initiating conversations about VAD.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2026/jul/31/voluntary-assisted-dying-care-navigators-victoria

ABC Compass, available on iVIEW, has screened the story “Dying on my own terms,” which describes the moving journeys of Berwyn and Jason, as they choose to access Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD). The program is presented by Andrew Denton, who has been such a powerful voice for the legalisation of VAD within Australia. At the end of the episode, Andrew is shown advocating for the availability of telehealth services for those wishing to access VAD, by eliminating its absurd prohibition under the Commonwealth Criminal Code.

The Compass program is well worth watching.

https://iview.abc.net.au/show/compass

I was reminded of this indelible memory earlier today, as I read a VAD Media Watch article.

About a year ago, AFL legend Robert Walls died at the age of 74 from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The wonderful folk at VAD Media Watch have just brought to our attention a recently released 4-part video series which poignantly depicts how Robert Walls chose to end his life on his own terms, through accessing Victoria’s VAD. The four episodes are each about ten minutes in duration.

During the videos, again and again, Robert Walls’s family members and friends highlight his courage and thoughtfulness during the final journey he undertook. He was considerate and caring to those who would grieve his loss. And he sought out old friends and, together, they managed to heal old wounds before the end.

The then Victorian Minister for Health, Jill Hennessy is interviewed in the last video, and emphasizes how significant Walls decision to share this journey has been:

“Robert Walls’s death and his use of voluntary assisted dying will have led to conversations around dinner tables, in palliative care units, in football clubs, in all sorts of places where people are not talking about death, and what some of the options might be. He has given us an incredibly generous gift, by allowing us, and encouraging us, and motivating us to talk about the end of life, and how we can manage terminal illnesses, exercising some choice, and control and dignity.”

Clearly, Robert Walls has left his family and friends with many indelible memories.

So too he has left, through his courageous exercise of choice, an enduring and inspiring legacy to so many more.

I commend the videos to your viewing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LU0FaRzciQ

A Time to Die: Part 1 He did it for us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lG6GGv–zA

A Time to Die: Part 2 Poison ivy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB-utyYhnTk

A Time to Die: Part 3 Feuds and forgiveness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZBYw9w_9es

A Time to Die: Part 4 An enduring legacy

Congratulations Dr Chloe Furst and Annaliese Holland, winners in the 2026 Advertiser Sunday Mail SkyCity Woman of the Year Award. Both women are fierce advocates for voluntary assisted dying in their home state of South Australia – one as a doctor, the other as a patient. Thank you for all you do. 🙏
⭐Dr Chloe Furst – People’s Choice Winner. Geriatric and Palliative Medicine Consultant; voluntary assisted dying (VAD) practitioner.
⭐Annaliese Holland – Inspiration of the Year. Advocate for better Palliative Care, approved for VAD.

Click here to see on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18fZvTT2o9/

Click to see on Go Gentle Australia.

Jane Morris, President of Dying With Dignity Victoria, when announcing Ian’s award at the dinner of the Trans-Tasman Voluntary Assisted Dying Conference on Monday 28 October, 2024, stated :“There would be very few people who have not heard of Dr. Rodney Syme. Rodney spent the latter part of his life selflessly and totally committed to ensuring the successful passage of VAD legislation in Victoria. Since 2007, DWDV has awarded The Rodney Syme Medal in recognition of the outstanding and distinguished effort by an individual/s in pursuit of the Dying with Dignity cause. Dying With Dignity Victoria is delighted to award the 2024 Rodney Syme Medal to Ian Wood, Co-Founder of Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Assisted Dying.

For the past 20 years, Ian has worked tirelessly, advocating for Voluntary Assisted Dying as an additional, compassionate end-of-life choice from the aspect of Christian support.

Congratulations Ian, and wholehearted thanks from all of us at Dying With Dignity Victoria for your invaluable efforts.”

After being presented with the Rodney Syme Medal by Michelle Hindson Board Member of Dying With Dignity Victoria, Ian responded:

“I’m delighted to accept this, and I do sincerely thank Jane Morris and DWD Victoria for presenting me with this Rodney Syme Award. Rodney was actually the person who I considered as one of the dozens and perhaps hundreds of people who have both mentored me and motivated me in my efforts to counter the mainly religious lobby who sought to impose their outdated views on all Australians.

I have really thought that Voluntary Assisted Dying should be a basic human right. We are Christians who believe that, as a demonstration of love and compassion, those who are terminally or hopelessly ill should have the option of a pain free, peaceful and dignified death with Voluntary Assisted Dying.

Thank you to Frances Coombe, President of VADSA, who back in 2008 spoke to me and my colleague, Reverend Trevor Bensch and suggested that we co-found our group; and I would also like to thank Reverend Dr Craig de Vos for his continued support of our

group as Patron. Thank you.”

Photo: DWD NSW

Persistent lobbying by state Dying with Dignity Groups, Andrew Denton (listen to this excellent interview https://7ampodcast.com.au/episodes/spotlight-how-death-became-the-fight-of-andrew-dentons-life) and his Go Gentle Australia team, along with our group, and individuals,culminated in this incredible progress, in the last five years.My late friend and mentor Rev. Trevor Bensch would have been delighted at this progress – something that we have been working for since we co-founded the group in February 2009. I sincerely thank all members of our group who contacted MP’s, wrote letters, signed petitions, made donations etc.

The Australian Capital Territory recently called for submissions to help develop their guidelines for a proposed VAD bill and it appears this could be debated this year. Interestingly the ACT are looking to have a point of difference and hopefully it will overall be a better model by combining the better points of each state VAD act. I have made a submission to ACT on behalf of our group.The Northern Territory disappointingly has said they will not discuss a new bill until after their next election.

Victoria and Western Australia will be reviewing their VAD laws this year. It is hoped that the new federal government which is more sympathetic to VAD legislation will review the restriction on telehealth access, and move to cover VAD services by medicare benefits.

Overseas. Austria’s VAD law is now in effect. Canada is considering an in depth report to improve their law MAiD as the VAD law is known as in Canada. Ireland & Scotland and UK have not progressed since last year . A number of USA states are considering legislation in addition to the 11 States and territories that have VAD access. Portugal are trying to get their legislation finalised. France is due to present a report by the end of the year following overwhelming support by the French Citizens’ Council.

Sadly Church hierarchy, for example, the Catholic Diocese of Sydney and some conservative “liberal” politicians continue not to accept the social change of VAD and are actively trying to reverse the legislative progress, despite 3 out of 4 Catholics supporting VAD as a compassionate end-of-life Choice. For example, Monica Doumit published a call to arms in the Catholic Weekly. I made a detailed response to the fears, lies and distortions she had in this article but the Catholic Weekly refused to publish this response even though we offered to have it in a paid advert. If a reader would like a copy of this response please contact me via our website. Because of this continued opposition and the need to have the laws passed in the territories, it is hoped that you will continue to be a member of our group.

It is hoped that the recent Advance Care Planning week has made people more aware of the need for a comprehensive Advance Care Directive particularly in respect to stating wishes should dementia become an issue. PLEASE discuss your end of life wishes with your family, and appoint a person to speak on your behalf if you are unable to do so.

Despite experiencing severe ill health my desire to advocate for VAD continues. Best wishes, Ian

Ian Wood receiving Life Membership Award from Frances Coombe.

In accepting this Award, I expressed my thanks to Frances Coombe and the VADSA team for this recognition, and my humble gratitude to every person who has helped our group in so many ways, and who have continued to motivate me in my work of advocating for Voluntary Assisted Dying as an additional compassionate end-of-life choice from the aspect of Christian support.

I recalled that I first found out about SAVES, as it was known then, late in 2004 .  My Mother was dying in the last stages of Alzheimer’s in December, and I wrote to our local MP Rob Kerin and to the Premier Mike Rann challenging them to go and visit my Mother in her terrible emaciated condition – saying there must be better and more compassionate ways of dying.  Of course they never came. Sadly, access to VAD is still not available to those with dementia related illnesses in Australia.

My activity really started when late in 2008 Frances Coombe asked me and also Rev Trevor Bensch to consider forming a Christian support group.  Trevor had previously written letters to the SA MPs in support in 2007.  Then the three of us met in the North Adelaide Baptist Church Vestry and Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Euthanasia was officially formed 9.2.2009. We had our first article in the Advertiser on 23rd Feb 2009 by Jill Pengilly.

Now, every state has passed a Voluntary Assisted Dying law, amazing progress over the last few years.   It is a recognition that while good palliative care is important, the additional VAD choice is also needed, providing great peace of mind to those using it.

Ian Wood, National Co-ordinator and Spokesperson, Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Assisted Dying.  30.7.2022

https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/drop-dead-disgrace/

What a disgraceful, vitriolic editorial is “Drop dead disgrace” (Catholic Weekly, 25 May) From the title to the picture of a young child holding an anti-Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) placard at the end of the article, it displays a total lack of empathy.

The unnamed author castigates NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and Opposition Leader Chris Minns, both committed Catholics, for not doing more to scupper the VAD bill, describing their failure as “one of the most humiliating examples of meek acceptance of evil ever seen”. An incredible claim that, from any rational viewpoint, is blatantly untrue.

I suppose we should be thankful that the editorial did not openly advocate Perrottet and Minns be excommunicated.

The editorial portrays the NSW VAD law as imposing state-sanctioned killing. We will put aside for a moment the evil of Catholic sanctioned “killing” during the Crusades, in religious wars, the Inquisition, the burning of witches, the ‘troubles’ in Ireland, and the fact of the Catholic Church coverup of paedophile priests that led in turn to the tragic suicides of so many of their innocent victims.

A few facts…

• VAD is not killing. The Voluntary Assisted Dying Law is legislation to give a terminally ill person, who is already enduring suffering they find intolerable, their right to request assistance to end that suffering quickly and peacefully, at a time of their choosing.
• There is clear evidence that many patients given approval after their request for a VAD death, actually live longer and have a better end quality of life than those who do not request assistance.   The VAD law provides peace of mind and is palliative in its own right. Many assisted deaths, even of a person wracked with cancer, are described as ‘beautiful’.
• Advocates for VAD choice respect the need for Palliative Care but recognise that PC can never provide the complete answer and VAD provides the additional option to avoid futile suffering. In Oregon USA, with a law for almost 25 years, 90% of patients using their Assisted Dying choice are already in some form of hospice or palliative care. Note that in Oregon one third of patients approved for assistance do not proceed to take their fatal medication – it is like having an insurance policy you hope you never need.
• For the Catholic Weekly to compare Voluntary Assisted Dying choice with “the consignment of ethnic groups to the concentration camps”, is quite frankly obscene. As has been pointed out elsewhere, the Holocaust and the agony inflicted on the Jewish community and others has no connection whatever with the Voluntary Assisted Dying end-of-life choice.

Any person who disagrees with the Voluntary Assisted Dying choice is perfectly free not to initiate the rigorous assessment process needed to access the VAD option, and is perfectly free to choose to accept all suffering that comes their way as they are dying.

Many people were heartened and admired the honesty of Dr Robert Olvera, a Harvard-educated physician in California, and what he stated prior to the passing of the End of Life Choice Bill in California,

“As a Catholic and a physician, I feel compelled to dispel the myths about these bills perpetrated by the Roman Catholic Church, some disability groups, and the American Medical Association (AMA).

My 25-old daughter Emily Rose desperately pleaded for this option during the final few agonizing months of her life last spring when she suffered in horrific pain from terminal leukemia, despite getting great home hospice and palliative care.

As a Catholic, I pray to God for the passage of the bills authorizing medical aid in dying. These laws would ensure that dying Americans have the option to pass peacefully in their sleep, suffer less, and spare themselves the pain of a lengthy and prolonged death that my daughter had to endure.”

Personally, as a Christian, I found it informative that Dr Olvera was praying to God that the VAD Bill be passed, and those opposing VAD were praying that it not pass.  Olvera’s prayer was answered, and the End of Life Choice Bill passed in 2015. May we draw a conclusion from this?

Equally informative is the fact that the California Bill was signed by Gov. Brown, a committed Catholic, who had formerly trained as a Jesuit, and as Governor he actually had the right to veto this Bill.  Instead, in a very rational and compassionate letter, he concluded –

“In the end, I was left to reflect on what I would want in the face of my own death.  I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating pain. I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill. And I wouldn’t deny that right to others.”

Religion, and the Christian Bible have long been used to support opposition to change, just as it was used to resist the abolition of slavery, university education and voting rights for women, use of pain relief for women in childbirth, and in attempting to prove that Earth was the centre of the universe.  History has shown this use of the Bible to be inappropriate.

A significant majority of Christians, including Catholics, believe the time has come to put love and compassion for a fellow human ahead of theological differences of opinion. This is why VAD legislation has been passed in every Australian state, and the VAD choice accepted by Australians generally. We would argue that Perrottet and Minns both acted responsibly – speaking against the Bill as they were entitled to do – but not abusing their position and power to frustrate the democratic process.

To reiterate – the key words are ‘voluntary’ and ‘choice’.

Ian Wood, Spokesperson for Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Assisted Dying. www.christiansforvad.org.au

Read more: Rev Michael Dowling and his address to South Australia Parliament in support of VAD as an end of life choice.  https://christiansforvad.org.au/rev-michael-dowling-presentation-to-south-australian-mps/#more-735

Read more. Rev Cardy from NZ expresses his religious support for VAD
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/09/euthanasia-referendum-how-religious-kiwis-are-deciding-which-way-to-vote-on-the-end-of-life-choice-bill.html?

Read more: Rev Kilgour of NZ – Sermon in support of an assisted death after his nephew in Canada used MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying). https://christiansforvad.org.au/rev-craig-kilgour-new-zealand-sermon-my-nephew-had-an-assisted-death-in-canada-it-was-compassionate-it-was-humane-it-was-right-and-good/#more-560

Read more: Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu of Capetown and his support for VAD as an end of life choice. https://christiansforvad.org.au/archbishop-desmond-tutu-gives-his-blessing-to-the-voluntary-assisted-dying-campaign-in-australia/#more-371