Kate Chaney (Curtin, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Voluntary assisted dying, or VAD, is now an established part of Australia's health system. Every state and the ACT have legislated for it, with the Northern Territory expected to follow this year. Yet as the 2026 State of VAD report to be launched tomorrow highlights, significant barriers remain for people eligible to access it.

Today, I want to focus on one key barrier—one with a simple solution which I first raised more than two years ago through a private member's bill but which remains unresolved. Outdated provisions in the Commonwealth Criminal Code mean clinicians risk criminal liability for using telehealth to provide lawful VAD care. Patients must therefore attend all consultations in person, and doctors fear prosecution if they mention VAD during a telehealth appointment.

Telehealth is an essential part of modern healthcare. In rural and remote Australia, it's often the only way to access specialist care. For people who are seriously ill or frail, Telehealth can prevent unnecessary suffering. Tragically, some people in regional WA have died without access to VAD or endured exhausting travel because telehealth is unavailable. Australia is the only country to criminalise telehealth in VAD. The fix is simple: amend the law to clarify that VAD is not suicide. I urge the government to act so no Australian is denied dignity at the end of life because of where they live.