Version No. 006
Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017
No. 61 of 2017
Version incorporating amendments as at
1 September 2023
TABLE OF PROVISIONS
Section Page
Part 1—Preliminary
1Purposes
2Commencement
3Definitions
4Meaning of decision-making capacity
5Principles
6When may a person access voluntary assisted dying?
7Conscientious objection of registered health practitioners
8Voluntary assisted dying must not be initiated by registered health practitioner
Part 2—Criteria for access to voluntary assisted dying
9Eligibility criteria for access to voluntary assisted dying
Part 3—Requesting access to voluntary assisted dying and assessment of eligibility
Division 1—Minimum requirements for co‑ordinating medical practitioners and consulting medical practitioners
10Minimum requirements for co-ordinating medical practitioners and consulting medical practitioners
Division 2—First request
11Person may make first request to registered medical practitioner
12No obligation to continue after making first request
13Registered medical practitioner must accept or refuse first request
14Registered medical practitioner who accepts first request must record first request and acceptance
15Registered medical practitioner who accepts first request becomes co-ordinating medical practitioner
Division 3—First assessment
16Commencement of first assessment
17Co-ordinating medical practitioner must not commence first assessment unless approved assessment training completed
18Referral for specialist opinion
19Information to be provided if co-ordinating medical practitioner assesses person as meeting eligibility criteria
20Outcome of first assessment
21Recording and notification of outcome of first assessment
22Referral for consulting assessment if person assessed as eligible
Division 4—Consulting assessment
23Registered medical practitioner must accept or refuse referral for a consulting assessment
24Registered medical practitioner who accepts referral becomes consulting medical practitioner
25Commencement of consulting assessment
26Consulting medical practitioner must not commence consulting assessment unless approved assessment training completed
27Referral for specialist opinion
28Information to be provided if consulting medical practitioner assesses person as meeting eligibility criteria
29Outcome of consulting assessment
30Recording and notification of outcome of consulting assessment
31Co-ordinating medical practitioner may refer person assessed as ineligible for further consulting assessment
32Co-ordinating medical practitioner may transfer role of co‑ordinating medical practitioner
33Process for transfer of co‑ordinating medical practitioner role
Division 5—Written declaration
34Person assessed as eligible for access to voluntary assisted dying may make written declaration
35Witness to making of written declaration
36Certification of witness to signing of written declaration
Division 6—Final request, contact person and final review by co‑ordinating medical practitioner
37Person may make final request
38Final request to be made a certain time after first request and consulting assessment
39Contact person
40Formal requirements for appointment of contact person
41Final review by co-ordinating medical practitioner on receipt of final request
42Technical error not to invalidate request and assessment process
43Co-ordinating medical practitioner may apply for voluntary assisted dying permit on certification of request and assessment process on final review
44No obligation for person to continue after certification of request and assessment process on final review
Part 4—Voluntary assisted dying permits
Division 1—Authorisations under a voluntary assisted dying permit
45What is authorised by self-administration permit?
46What is authorised by practitioner administration permit?
Division 2—Voluntary assisted dying permits
47Application for self-administration permit
48Application for practitioner administration permit
49Secretary to determine application for a voluntary assisted dying permit