The ACT’s voluntary assisted dying (VAD) scheme has officially begun as of November 3, allowing eligible Canberrans facing terminal illness to choose the timing and manner of their death.
For long-time Canberra resident Gail Ford, the change brings relief and a renewed sense of control.
Gail, a former educator who once led study tours to Russia, has lived with Parkinson’s disease for more than 20 years. Once a confident communicator and world traveller, she now relies on a wheelchair, her voice has reduced to just above a whisper, and she finds everyday tasks increasingly difficult.
“The first sign I had Parkinson’s was my handwriting. Now it’s totally illegible,” she told ABC News.
“Communication was very important and now I can’t communicate.”
After multiple falls in 2024 left her with serious injuries – including a dislocated shoulder and broken hip, ribs and wrist – Gail says the disease has steadily taken her independence.
“I’m in a wheelchair now … my speech is much worse, and I really can’t socialise at all,” she said.
“I think it’s important to have a choice and to die with dignity. Everyone should have that ability because death for many people is not dignified and it’s not pleasant.”
The ACT is the second-last Australian jurisdiction to legalise VAD. The scheme allows eligible people with a progressive, life-limiting illness to request medical support to end their life. Unlike some states, the ACT does not require a formal prognosis timeframe.
Palliative care nurse practitioner Kate Reed, who helped establish the scheme, says it is about dignity, care and choice.
“We are really being much more open in these conversations and the reality that we’re all going to die someday,” she said.
“This is adding to the healthcare of a person, not taking anything away.”
Under the rules, a person must be over 18, have lived in the ACT for at least 12 months, have an advanced illness causing intolerable suffering, have decision-making capacity throughout the process, and be acting voluntarily.
The ACT currently has 29 authorised practitioners, including doctors and nurses.
The process involves several steps and assessments, but applicants can pause or withdraw at any time.
“Once you’re in it, you’re not committed to it – you can stop, but you can also pause,” Reed said.
Oversight board chair Darlene Cox said the system has been designed with strict safeguards.
“We’re monitoring it to look for opportunities to improve the service, to make sure that there are sufficient safeguards in place,” she said.
Gail says she intends to apply, wanting the option before her quality of life declines further.
“If you get to the stage where you’ve got nothing that you’re looking forward to … what’s life like?” she said.
“I had a good life, I had a full life. Why should it go on to a bitter ending? Let’s call it quits.”
Image: Shutterstock
