Late on Thursday night the House of Assembly reached a majority vote for the final amendment to the End of Life Choices Bill. That moment will become part of history as Tasmania edges closer to legalising voluntary assisted dying.
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While the bill still needs to go back to the upper house, given the bill started in the Legislative Council and was approved, it's expected the same will happen again in coming weeks.
This is a momentous development.
Some early comments from readers stood out. One woman said that it was comforting to know there was an option going forward as part of her cancer journey. While she has finished her chemotherapy, she said the pain was horrendous and if the time came where it was unbearable, and hope was taken away then voluntary assisted dying would now be an option.
Others shared stories of caring for loved ones who were in pain despite the best efforts of medical staff.
One woman shared how she nursed her mother through oesophagus cancer. Her mother dropped to 22 kilograms and she described the time as horrendous.
Independent Mersey MLC Mike Gaffney should be congratulated for presenting a robust private member's bill to Parliament, with the support of his colleagues and Sarah Courtney in the lower house.
The bill has been described as one of the safest in the world.
"At the end of the day we want a bill that's accessible to the Tasmanian people who want to choose the way that they exit, with their family and friends around," Mr Gaffney said.
Ms Courtney and Premier Peter Gutwein both referenced the importance of giving individuals the ability to make their own choices during their life.
Once the next and final step is taken, Tasmanians will be offered a chance to die with dignity when the end of their life is inevitable, and often painful, due to serious medical conditions.
Not everyone will opt for this pathway, but the fact it will be available will ease the unnecessary of many and, in a small way, reduce the pain also felt by loved ones.