Voluntary Assisted Dying

Eligibility - Queensland residents
Principal Petitioner:
Fiona Jacobs
89 Orient Drive
SUNRISE BEACH QLD 4567
Total Signatures - 6,665
Sponsoring Member: The Clerk of the Parliament
Posting Date: 31/7/2019
Closing Date: 13/10/2019
Tabled Date: 15/10/2019
Responded By: Hon Dr Steven Miles MP on 14/11/2019
TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland

Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House the serious concern of the community following the Premier’s reported comments in the Courier Mail (27 July 2019), regarding Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation. The Premier has said she believes Queenslanders “have to at least talk about” (Voluntary Assisted Dying), and “We are going about this very slowly and I understand that the community is bitterly divided over voluntary euthanasia... I’m not saying we will introduce voluntary euthanasia at all, I am saying let’s hear all the voices, including those of the people in great pain”.

We are concerned about the lack of urgency on the issue displayed by the Premier’s comments.

We refer to the 5500+ submissions and the harrowing stories shared at numerous Queensland public hearings and seek a verbal commitment to the legislative process as a matter of urgency. We remind parliament that the community is not bitterly divided. Consistent and reputable community polling over decades demonstrates 75-90% of Australians want this legislation.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to urge the Premier to place Voluntary Assisted Dying on the legislative agenda for the parliament in 2020. We further request, that subject to the findings of the committee, to be delivered on 30 November 2019, Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation will be drafted, tabled and dealt with as a matter of urgency prior to the State Election 2020.