Victorian Labor's voluntary assisted dying (VAD) bill faces an uncertain future after a factional split within the party left it without enough support to pass in its current form. The legislation, which aims to allow doctors to initiate conversations about VAD and expand eligibility for all terminal illnesses to 12 months, relies on votes from One Nation, several Liberals, and other parties to navigate the notoriously divided Legislative Council.
A group of Labor MPs from the SDA union sub-faction opposed the bill, citing concerns over its impact on vulnerable individuals. However, many other Labor MPs, including some with personal connections to terminal illnesses, have expressed support for the legislation. The health minister has urged opposition against VAD as "assisted suicide," but her words were met with criticism from fellow MPs and advocacy groups.
Despite internal divisions within the party, most Labor MPs are expected to back the bill in the lower house. However, concerns over its prospects in the upper house have sparked anxiety among Labor leaders. The Legislative Council has 15 Labor MPs, but only 21 votes are needed for legislation to pass. It is feared that three SDA-aligned MPs and one other MP from a right-wing faction may vote against the bill.
To overcome this hurdle, Labor officials will rely on support from One Nation, several Liberals, and other parties. The party's own libertarian members have expressed reservations about compulsory information provision, but many are backing the legislation. A key One Nation MP has confirmed her support for the bill, while a party source revealed that she plans to push for increased access to VAD in regional Victoria.
Liberal MPs who oppose abortion but have spoken out on end-of-life care issues include Georgie Crozier and Nick McGowan. These four votes, combined with the progressive crossbench, are expected to secure passage of the bill in the Legislative Council. However, the fate of the legislation remains far from certain, as the upper house's complexities continue to pose a significant challenge to Labor's ambitions.
A group of Labor MPs from the SDA union sub-faction opposed the bill, citing concerns over its impact on vulnerable individuals. However, many other Labor MPs, including some with personal connections to terminal illnesses, have expressed support for the legislation. The health minister has urged opposition against VAD as "assisted suicide," but her words were met with criticism from fellow MPs and advocacy groups.
Despite internal divisions within the party, most Labor MPs are expected to back the bill in the lower house. However, concerns over its prospects in the upper house have sparked anxiety among Labor leaders. The Legislative Council has 15 Labor MPs, but only 21 votes are needed for legislation to pass. It is feared that three SDA-aligned MPs and one other MP from a right-wing faction may vote against the bill.
To overcome this hurdle, Labor officials will rely on support from One Nation, several Liberals, and other parties. The party's own libertarian members have expressed reservations about compulsory information provision, but many are backing the legislation. A key One Nation MP has confirmed her support for the bill, while a party source revealed that she plans to push for increased access to VAD in regional Victoria.
Liberal MPs who oppose abortion but have spoken out on end-of-life care issues include Georgie Crozier and Nick McGowan. These four votes, combined with the progressive crossbench, are expected to secure passage of the bill in the Legislative Council. However, the fate of the legislation remains far from certain, as the upper house's complexities continue to pose a significant challenge to Labor's ambitions.
I'm really disappointed in how this VAD bill is unfolding, especially with the split within Victorian Labor 
. It's like they're playing politics with people's lives 
. On one hand, I get it that not everyone will agree on this issue, but can't we just have a more nuanced conversation about end-of-life care? 
. If you're already struggling with a terminal illness, do you really want to worry about getting support from your own party? 
.
. And One Nation is doing the right thing by pushing for increased access in regional Victoria 
. Fingers crossed they can get it through without all the drama 
"] 
]
and yeah i can see why labor would want to push for it but at the same time i get where the SDA union sub-faction is coming from 
and the fact that lib MPs like crozier and mcgowan are backing end-of-life care despite opposing abortion is kinda sweet 
It seems like everyone has an opinion on it, but what's the real deal? 
Is it gonna help people or make things harder for them? 
And why is there so much drama about it in Parliament? Can't they just agree on something already?! 
. I know some people might think it's a good idea to give folks more control over their end-of-life care, but at the same time, you've got a lot of people who are like "what if this gets abused?" 
, 'cause I think they're trying to do something kind and compassionate here 
.
and now its facing all these obstacles? It feels like they're more worried about the politics than the people 
and I'm still trying to process how beautiful the views were. We hiked up this huge mountain and the sun was setting, casting this golden light everywhere... it was honestly breathtaking 
. And then we stopped at a quaint little café for coffee and had the best conversation about our shared love of indie music 
. Anyway, back to VAD - I feel like there's so much more that can be done to support people with terminal illnesses without having to resort to... you know, all this legislation stuff 
. What do you think?
It's all about compromise, I guess... but what if some people just don't want to have "the talk" with their patients? 
It's a big deal, fam! And VAD could be a way to make end-of-life care more humane for people like those who are struggling with pain or debilitating illness. But at the same time, I get why some MPs are concerned about vulnerable individuals... it's a tough spot to be in 
. The health minister's "assisted suicide" label is straight up misleading, btw 
. I mean, what's wrong with having a conversation about end-of-life options when you're facing a terminal illness? It's not like people are gonna get a death wish or anything 
.
- have you tried those new gourmet popcorn flavors? Oh man, they're life-changing! I swear, every time I'm feeling down, a bag of that deliciousness just lifts my mood. What's your go-to snack when you're feeling stressed?
. We need to think about the people who are suffering here, not just party politics 
but at the same time, you gotta consider the vulnerable ppl too, that's why some labor MPs opposed it 
. It's gonna be a real nail-biter to see if any of those three SDA-aligned MPs show up to vote against it.