The final report from an inquiry into voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in the Northern Territory (NT). The terms of reference required the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee to prepare a consultation paper, consult extensively with communities across the NT including remote communities and evaluate various VAD models and safeguards. The Committee was also required to identify any challenges to delivering VAD in the NT and provide drafting instructions for model legislation if adoption of VAD legislation was recommended.

VAD is not currently legal in the Northern Territory. This report recommends that VAD legislation be adopted in the NT. An 18-month implementation period is endorsed, consistent with other jurisdictions. It contains the Committee’s 86 recommendations including drafting instructions. Four different VAD service delivery models were explored by the Committee – centralised, community-based (decentralised), hybrid and interjurisdictional shared models. The Committee recommends the development of a decentralised service delivery model. 

A series of guiding principles are recommended by the Committee to be reflected in the VAD legislation. These principles align with other pieces of Australian VAD legislation. The main point of difference, however, is that the Committee recommends the principles recognise the importance of cultural safety in relation to VAD. This is not a feature of VAD legislation elsewhere in Australia.

Key findings

• Understanding the unique nature of the NT will be a key determinant of the success of any VAD service in the NT.
• A VAD service in the NT will closely intersect with existing healthcare services. Careful planning and the allocation of additional resources will be required to ensure VAD services do not add additional pressure to such services.
• When VAD services have been introduced in other Australian states, the demand for palliative care has risen sharply. The Committee expects this will also be the case in the NT. Accordingly it has recommended that the NT Government develop a Territory-wide palliative care strategy.

The appendix includes a copy of the report 'Drafting Instructions for Model Voluntary Assisted Dying Legislation in the Northern Territory'.