The WA state election will be held on 8th March 2025.
This is the perfect opportunity for the incoming government to put on its agenda the improvements to the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2019 that are needed and that the recent review failed so spectacularly to address.
Stephen Walker, the president of DWDWA, has drafted a letter to the Premier and Cabinet and each sitting MP to request that, if elected, he or she will support a call for another cross-party, parliamentary inquiry into the amendments to the Act that are needed to provide equity of access to Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) in WA.
A few examples of such amendments are:
- the replacement of the time to death criterion, which often causes prolonged suffering to those with neurodegenerative conditions;
- the removal of the residency criterion, which applies even where the applicant for VAD has a close connection with the state. This requirement not only causes hardship and suffering, but has been rendered redundant by Voluntary Assisted Dying now being available all over Australia (except for the Northern Territory);
- provisions to deal with institutional conscientious objection in health, aged care and palliative care facilities, that make VAD difficult or impossible for a person to access when they are at their most vulnerable; and
- augmenting the workforce (including by increasing the number and the authorised roles of nurse practitioners and senior nurses) to deal with the increasing demand for VAD.
In addition, and perhaps most importantly, there is the imperative to find a way to provide safe access to VAD for people with dementia.
For DWDWA’s position on this important issue, please see RESOURCES/Dementia on this website.
There is much to be done in a very short time.
DWDWA Campaign: My Life, My Choice 2.0
Leading up to the Western Australian state election on 8th March 2025, DWDWA is campaigning for a new parliamentary inquiry into possible improvements to the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2019.
Specifically, we are asking every candidate to commit to set up a new Joint Select Committee that would consider reforms made in other Australian states and overseas, while continuing to emphasise safeguards.
To manage an effective campaign, ideally (but subject to finance) a person with relevant experience and skills would be appointed, for a period of six to eight weeks.
The campaign manager, with the DWDWA committee, would develop a strategy to re-engage the public interest and support shown in 2019, and transform that support into action. This would include using print, audio, television and social media, tools such as DoGooder and NationBuilder, direct action, advertising and leaflet distribution.
CALL TO ACTION
You, DWDWA members and supporters, are the backbone of the 88% of the community who wanted voluntary assisted dying in Western Australia, and who worked your hearts out in so many ways to ensure that it happened.
That campaign lasted 2 years, and you were steadfast throughout, and triumphant at the end.
Once again, we need you – this time for 6 weeks - to do what is necessary to ensure equity of access for all Western Australians to VAD.
What you can do
As you see from the above, the campaign planning has just begun, and DWDWA will be in touch by email to let you know as specific goals arise.
In general, these are some of the ways in which you can help, starting now.
- Most importantly, tell us your stories if you or your loved ones have had experience of VAD over the past three and a half years.
Good news stories are great, to demonstrate that in many ways the law is working as it should.
Stories about difficulties of any kind that you have experienced – for example the eligibility criteria, misinformation, delays in the process, institutional conscientious objection, last minute loss of capacity – these are even more important as the theme of the campaign is Improving the law to provide equity of access to VAD for all Western Australians.
- Use DoGooder (details to be provided) to tell your stories to your MPs.
- Use the media, and social media, to tell those stories to the community. Write letters, go on radio, appear on TV if you have the chance. Tell your friends and families and, if they support the cause, ask them to help spread the word.
- If you are able to, please donate to the campaign. What we can achieve will depend on the funds we have available. Click here to donate.