Overview
- Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby said drafting is underway with the bill to be introduced to parliament mid-2026.
- The legislation will be put to a conscience vote, allowing members to vote according to personal beliefs.
- If passed, the Northern Territory would become the last Australian jurisdiction to legalise voluntary assisted dying.
- The bill is being shaped by recommendations from the 2025 parliamentary inquiry, most of which the government accepted.
- Key design choices under review include eligibility for serious and incurable illness, assessment and decision-making timeframes, and safeguards for vulnerable people, informed by other jurisdictions such as Victoria’s 2025 changes allowing access with a 12‑month prognosis and permitting clinicians to initiate end‑of‑life discussions.