Most Victorians don’t know that Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) is a legal end-of-life option. They don’t know it’s been available for over six years.
They don’t know that, as of June 30 2025, more than 1600 individuals in Victoria have accessed VAD. They have accessed it quietly, peacefully and with a deep gratitude for the autonomy it offers at the end-of-life.
So why does such a compassionate legal option remain cloaked in silence for those facing untreatable, painful or terminal illnesses?
Primarily, the reasons are cultural. The majority of us are deeply uncomfortable talking about death, let alone talking about a preference for dying voluntarily. Even when faced with a terminal disease, conversations about VAD are often avoided for being too difficult, too confronting or
too deeply entrenched in stigma. You certainly won’t find a brochure about VAD at your local pharmacy.
The silence is also systemic. Under current legislation, it might be surprising to know that doctors in Victoria are actually prohibited from initiating conversations about VAD with their patients, even when they know it may be relevant.
VAD is the only treatment in the country that health practitioners are legally barred from raising as a treatment option.
Patients, or their loved ones, instead must educate themselves, navigate the information independently and raise it with their care team. In no other area of healthcare is this expected.
It is an especially unfair burden to place on those who are terminally ill and are coming to terms with their disease and their own mortality.
The consequences of this silence are real. Many families discover VAD only once their loved one has died, once it is too late to choose and once they have faced the kind of bad death that ultimately could have been avoided.
There are stories where individuals have resorted to desperate measures when the legal pathway to access VAD is out of reach. These stories reinforce the urgent need to ensure our VAD laws are safe, accessible and fit-for-purpose.
In 2017, Victoria was the first state in Australia to pass VAD legislation. Every other state and the ACT now has, or is in the process of implementing VAD laws, largely based on Victoria’s model. These jurisdictions have had the added advantage of redressing some of the problems seen in the Victorian legislation and, consequently, Victoria has now fallen behind best practice when it comes to access to VAD in Australia.
In 2024, the Victorian Coroner raised serious concerns about the state’s restrictive eligibility criteria, highlighting their contribution to severe distress and, in some cases, suicide. These findings are a sobering reminder that systems designed to uphold dignity must not inadvertently cause harm. Wherever these stories occur, they are reflective of the impact of laws that fail to offer timely, compassionate options.
Earlier this year, the Victorian Government released the final report of its five-year review into the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017 alongside unanticipated recommendations for legislative reform. These reforms are expected later in 2025 and are designed to improve access, reduce
unnecessary barriers and ensure more people can benefit from the law.
It is critical that these proposed amendments are passed – Victorians should have the same access and equal rights as other Australians because VAD is ultimately not about choosing death. It’s about the choice of living as well as possible, prior to death, empowered by the autonomy VAD instills.
Relatives describe VAD deaths as “peaceful” and “empowering.” There are many more whose loved ones became eligible but never used it, because simply knowing the choice was there gave them peace of mind.
Every eligible Victorian who needs to access VAD, should be afforded this same peace of mind. It allows people to choose when they want to die – to say goodbye while they’re still well enough to speak, to choose who they want beside them and where they want to die, be it at home, surrounded by nature, or even at the beach. It offers control in a time that often feels uncontrollable.
Imagine a future where VAD information sits alongside palliative care brochures in pharmacies and hospitals. Where conversations about end-of-life choices are normalised and people feel unafraid to ask questions, explore their options and make choices that reflect their values.
This isn’t about persuasion. It’s about information. Because dignity in dying starts with knowledge, and every person deserves that dignity.