Queenslanders, we have come so far in our fight for the same rights as Victorians, Western Australians and, very soon, hopefully, Tasmanians. Our NZ friends now also have that right - the right to have the voluntary option of a kinder and more peaceful death when faced with a life-limiting and incurable illness/disease.

The Qld End of Life Choices Inquiry received nearly 5000 Submissions from the public, the majority sharing their heartfelt experiences of losing a loved one through the most harrowing and traumatic of circumstances. We know that 80% of the community supports voluntary assisted dying legislation but we also know that this isn’t just “going to happen”. There is a long road ahead, just like other states, with opposition from religious and right to life groups.

Draft legislation, for Queensland, currently sits with the Qld Law Reform Commission. In early 2021 this legislation will be presented to the Qld Parliament for our Politicians to debate, express THEIR opinions, share THEIR views and vote according to THEIR conscience AND THEIR values. Some will listen to their community’s views and others won’t.

YOUR story and YOUR own experience – losing a loved one through harrowing suffering – working on the front line as a nurse/health care professional – it is your story that needs to be heard with all of the detail that is rarely even mentioned in Parliamentary discussions. Our traumatic experiences bind us together and we need to let Politicians know why we support this legislation and why they should, too.

VALE needs you to share your story with us and with your local MP.

VALE will be compiling a booklet of ALL of our stories so Politicians are under no doubt about why we support this legislation.

If you lodged a Submission to the Qld End of Life Choices Inquiry, please email this to your local MP with a brief cover letter explaining why you support VAD Legislation. If you did not lodge a Submission to the Qld End of Life Choices Inquiry, please send your story to me so I can compile all stories and make sure that your story and experience is heard by those who will determine whether or not Queenslanders will get to have the option of Voluntary Assisted Dying Legislation.

Please follow me and share your story through https://www.facebook.com/valeqld 

Thank you, Tanya