Voluntary assisted dying to become law in Tasmania, after bill passes

Independent Mersey MLC Mike Gaffney introduced the bill in the upper house last year. There it was heavily amended before being sent to the lower house, where it was passed earlier this month.

It was the fourth time voluntary assisted dying legislation was debated in the State Parliament.

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Late on Tuesday night, the upper house gave final approval to the amended bill after it had been sent back upstairs.

Sisters and voluntary assisted dying campaigners, Natalie and Jacqui Gray, who lost their mother Di to cancer in 2018, celebrated the news on the Your Choice TAS Facebook page soon after the vote occurred.

"Tasmania - today, we have ALL won!" they wrote.

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"Thank you endlessly to every supporter who has raised their voices, donated their time or services, offered advice, sent MP emails, proudly erected signs, shared personal experiences, written to the media, distributed flyers, displayed bumper stickers, donated money, AND kept the VAD conversation alive.

"You have ALL filled our hearts with so much love and light."

Tasmania now becomes the third jurisdiction in the nation to legalise voluntary assisted dying, after Victoria and Western Australia.

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