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Submission to the consultation on Voluntary Assisted Dying in the ACT

Published on April 6, 2023

AFI has made a submission to the consultation on Voluntary Assisted Dying in the ACT.  In our submission we acknowledge that VAD is likely to be passed in the ACT and call for a package of measures and work to address unintended consequences in the short and medium terms.  We emphasise the need for investments that address gaps in disability support for people in distress and to deliver the ACT Disability Health Strategy and the Disability Strategy and call for packages to mitigate unintended consequences including disability supports, work on suicide prevention and hate speech.  Some key principles outlined in our submission are that having a disability alone should not be grounds for VAD, doctors involved in the VAD process must understand that people with disability can live good lives and no one should be offered VAD in place of disability, health and palliative care supports.   We also speak to monitoring and safeguards.