A spirited debate is set to erupt with the state government announcing it will introduce legislation next year to legalise voluntary euthanasia.
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Four of the five Upper House MPs for Western Victoria have said they were in favour of voluntary euthanasia.
They join Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell in supporting, in principle, the move to give terminally-ill people the right to assisted dying.
Upper House MPs Jaala Pulford and Gayle Tierney, both Labor, Liberal Simon Ramsay and Vote 1 Local Jobs’ James Purcell have all said they believe voluntary euthanasia should be written into law.
The fifth Upper House MP for Western Victoria, Liberal Joshua Morris, has not responded to requests for a comment.
Premier Daniel Andrews said all Labor MPs would be granted a conscience vote on the legislation.
“Community sentiment on this issue is changing, and I know many in Victoria think it’s time we have this debate – a debate that respects people’s views and respects people’s lives,” Mr Andrews said.
Those opposing the move include Opposition Leader Matthew Guy, but he has said he would support a conscience vote.
Other opponents include the Catholic Church, but it has taken a low-key approach to the debate, wanting it to be a social one rather than a religious one.
The Australian Medical Association national body has stopped short of supporting voluntary euthanasia but its Victorian branch has called for the medical profession to be involved in the development of the laws proposed by the state government.
Mr Andrews said the proposed legislation would be consistent with the assisted dying framework outlined in Recommendation 49 in the Parliament’s Legal and Social Issues Committee’s Inquiry into end of life choices report.
He said a Ministerial Advisory Panel of clinical, legal, consumer, health administrator and palliative care experts would be set up to help draft the legislation.