Hansard debates

Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (Northern Victoria) (16:21): One Nation Victoria will be supporting the Voluntary Assisted Dying Amendment Bill 2025. At the heart of this bill lies a simple but profound principle: compassion for those enduring the final stages of terminal illness. This legislation recognises that care takes many forms. For some it means the best palliative support, the presence of loved ones and the dignity of comfort, but for others, those whose suffering cannot be eased, whose pain persists despite every effort, care must also mean the right to choose a peaceful and dignified end. Voluntary assisted dying is not about giving up on life; it is about giving people the agency to make deeply personal decisions when death is near and suffering is intolerable. It ensures that terminally ill Victorians are treated with the same respect and compassion that we would wish for ourselves and our families. This bill strengthens safeguards, improves access to support and makes the process more compassionate and humane. It upholds the values of autonomy, dignity and mercy that sit at the core of end-of-life care. For those facing the final chapter of life, this reform ensures that they are not abandoned to pain or fear but accompanied with empathy, choice and respect. That is what true care looks like. I commend the bill to the house.