STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator DAVID POCOCK (Australian Capital Territory—Independent ACT Whip) (13:40): Back in 2022, Canberrans sent me to this place with a very clear message—to work with the Senate to restore territory rights—and I'm really proud to be part of a Senate that delivered just that to the territories. After a quarter of a century of being deprived of these rights, the people of the ACT were finally able to determine for ourselves legislation to enable access to voluntary assisted dying.

This has given choice and dignity to people facing the end of their lives, but those in this most difficult of circumstances need further assistance from our federal parliament. They need us to amend the Criminal Code so that the VAD telehealth consultations are no longer captured, as they were never intended to be. The member for Curtin, Kate Chaney, in the other place attempted to bring a bill this morning that would make these very minor changes to our laws—changes that protect doctors and ensure that people at the end of their lives who meet stringent safeguards and requirements can access some consultations on VAD via telehealth.

Disappointingly, despite the Labor Party incorporating an amendment to its national platform to allow its members a conscience vote on the matter, no vote was allowed on the member for Curtin's bill. The VAD process is long and full of safety checks, as Australians would rightly expect. Terminally ill, frail or regional patients are forced to undergo multiple mandatory in-person assessments, sometimes travelling thousands of kilometres and occasionally dying before this process can be completed.

The member's legislation proposes a very modest and sensible change of roughly 170 words to the federal Criminal Code that would explicitly exempt VAD telehealth discussions from the archaic rules. We have an opportunity to give people the dignity that they deserve—the last gift that we can give them.