Not known how long next phase of Assisted Dying Bill will take

MLCs agreed to progress to Clauses stage but want to hear evidence first

It's not known how long it will take to reach the next phase of the Assisted Dying Bill.

Yesterday (Tuesday 22 October) members of the Legislative Council voted in favour of progressing it to the Clauses Stage.

However, they also agreed that evidence should be heard first after similar Bills were introduced for consideration in the UK.

Diane Kelsey MLC says it's hard to know how long that will be:

Seven members voted in favour of progressing the Bill, while just one voted against.

Paul Craine MLC, who is against Assisted Dying, says his main concern with the legislation in its current form is the lack of provision against coercion:

Once the evidence is heard, the Bill will progress to the Clauses Stage where members will consider each individual clause in minute detail.

It also gives MLCs the chance to move new ones and amend others.

Once this stage is finished, it will move to the Final Stage, which is the equivalent of the Third Reading in the House of Keys.