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Labor pressured to allow telehealth for euthanasia, but PM insists on face-to-face

Created at 26 Jul · 2:31 AM1 source↑ Market-relevant
IN SHORT

Australia's Labor party faces pressure to allow voluntary assisted dying via telehealth, following a platform change. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, however, expressed concerns about safeguards and insisted on face-to-face medical engagement, suggesting the government may not legislate the change.

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Key Numbers

$300,000maximum fine for breaches of law

Who's Involved

Anthony Albanese
Prime Minister of Australia, expressing reservations on telehealth for euthanasia
Sarah Hanson-Young
Greens senator planning to introduce a private members' bill on telehealth for euthanasia
Kate Chaney
Curtin MP planning to reintroduce a private members' bill for telehealth euthanasia access

↳ Why This Matters

The debate highlights a conflict between modernizing healthcare access through technology and ensuring robust safeguards for sensitive end-of-life decisions, with significant implications for patients in regional and remote areas.

Key facts

  • Labor's national platform now supports removing federal law barriers to voluntary assisted dying via telehealth.
  • Prime Minister Anthony Albanese believes euthanasia access should be face-to-face, not through telehealth.
  • Albanese cited concerns about potential misuse and undermining medical safeguards.
  • Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young and MP Kate Chaney plan to introduce private members' bills to enable telehealth access.
  • Current federal law risks legal penalties for health professionals using telecommunications for aspects of voluntary assisted dying.

The Australian Labor Party (ALP) is facing pressure to allow voluntary assisted dying (VAD) to be accessed through telehealth services, following a recent change to its national policy platform. The platform now commits Labor to removing federal law barriers that prevent the use of telehealth for end-of-life care, while maintaining clinical safeguards.

However, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed reservations, stating his belief that VAD should involve face-to-face recognition and engagement, not telehealth. He voiced concerns about the potential for misuse and the undermining of the VAD system's safeguards, likening it to the necessity of in-person medical care for acute conditions.

Despite the Prime Minister's stance, the ALP platform change suggests MPs may have a conscience vote on the issue. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has indicated she will move quickly to introduce a private members' bill to force the government's hand. Curtin MP Kate Chaney also plans to reintroduce her own bill, aiming to provide equitable access for people in regional areas and those with limited mobility, who currently face travel burdens.

Advocates and doctors have long argued that the current ban on telehealth for VAD disproportionately affects patients in rural areas and those with conditions that restrict movement. Health professionals currently risk significant fines, up to $300,000, under the federal Criminal Code Act for using telecommunications services to incite or encourage suicide, which can encompass many aspects of the VAD process.

Frequently asked questions

The ALP's national platform was updated to support removing federal law barriers to providing end-of-life care, including voluntary assisted dying, via telehealth services.

Prime Minister Albanese believes that access to voluntary assisted dying should be face-to-face to ensure proper medical safeguards and prevent misuse.

It is seen as crucial for individuals in rural and remote areas, or those whose medical conditions limit their ability to travel for in-person appointments.

Health professionals risk legal penalties, including fines up to $300,000, under the federal Criminal Code Act for using telecommunications services in the VAD process.

What Happens Next

01The cabinet will decide whether to draft new legislation reflecting the updated ALP platform.
02Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young will introduce a private members' bill.
03MP Kate Chaney will reintroduce her private members' bill in the lower house.

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Cadence

How It Developed

Labor's national platform was updated to support removing federal law barriers to telehealth for voluntary assisted dying.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated his belief that euthanasia access should be face-to-face, not via telehealth.
Albanese cited concerns about potential misuse and undermining medical safeguards as reasons for his stance.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young indicated plans to introduce a private members' bill on the issue.
Curtin MP Kate Chaney also announced her intention to reintroduce a private members' bill to enable telehealth access.
Chaney highlighted the disparity in access for rural Australians and those with limited mobility.
The federal Criminal Code Act currently prohibits using telecommunications services to incite suicide, posing legal risks for health professionals.

Sources

T1
Labor under pressure to allow telehealth access for euthanasia but PM says ‘it should be face-to-face’The Guardian

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