Canberra considers extending euthanasia laws

Teens as young as 14 could access euthanasia as the Labor-Greens government of the Canberra Territory considers the most permissive assisted suicide framework in all of Australia.

In the past five years, all Australian states have legalised euthanasia for adults with a terminal illness, in ‘intractable pain’, and who are expected to die within 6 to 12 months.

But the Australian Capital Territory’s newest proposal goes much further than that.

A community consultation report is set to be released by the ACT government on Thursday next with a final model for an assisted suicide framework to be revealed later in the year.

The framework is being headed by the state’s Human Rights Minister, Tara Cheyene, who is considering to allow children as young as 14-years-old to be eligible for VAD (‘Voluntary Assisted Dying’).

The ACT will also dismiss a requirement of an expected time of death between 6 to 12 months.

The Iona Institute
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