Episode 24 – Why We Need Better Conversations About Dying

Death is universal, yet modern society often treats it as something hidden, feared and rarely discussed. Cultural anthropologist and Buddhist scholar Dr Hannah Gould explores how religion, medicine, mortality and voluntary assisted dying shape the way Australians think about death in the 21st centu…

Episode 23 - The Rural Reality of Voluntary Assisted Dying with Dr Tim Leeuwenburg

Access to voluntary assisted dying can depend heavily on where a patient lives. Rural doctor Dr Tim Leeuwenburg sees this firsthand through his work on Kangaroo Island, where patients often face long delays, travel burdens and complex legal barriers just to begin the VAD process.  With decades of …

Episode 22 - How the ACT Legalised Voluntary Assisted Dying

ACT Attorney-General Tara Cheyne reflects on the long and complex journey to legalise voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in the ACT, from the overturning of Northern Territory laws in 1997 to the restoration of territory rights in 2022 and the passage of ACT legislation in 2024. She outlines the delibe…

Episode 21 – From Advocacy to Law: The Evolution of VAD in New Zealand

Voluntary assisted dying can provide dignity and relief at the end of life, but legislation must balance access with safeguards. Ann David, former President of New Zealand’s End of Life Choice Society, shares her personal journey into advocacy, explains how New Zealand’s VAD law was passed and impl…

Episode 20 – Dr Laureen Lawlor-Smith’s own reflections on VAD

Roles are reversed this episode as Dr Laureen Lawlor-Smith – who normally sits in the host’s chair – is interviewed by previous guest, Jane Nosworthy, VAD support group facilitator with Dying With Dignity Victoria.  Laureen shares her own perspective as a South Australian GP who has worked with ar…

Episode 19 - Inside Victoria’s Voluntary Assisted Dying Reforms

Jane Morris, President of Dying with Dignity Victoria, traces her lifelong commitment to voluntary assisted dying, shaped by childhood experiences, nursing practice, bioethics study, and the traumatic death of her mother from motor neurone disease.  She reflects on the pioneering advocacy of Rodne…

Episode 18 - Kimberly

Kimberly shares the deeply personal experience of supporting two loved ones through motor neurone disease and voluntary assisted dying. Rohan who declined rapidly after his 2020 diagnosis, discovered accessing VAD was slow and complex. It was worsened by institutional barriers and limited informati…

Episode 17 – How the NT led the world on assisted dying

The world’s first voluntary assisted dying law to be enacted and used was passed in Australia’s Northern Territory – only to be overturned months later by the Federal Parliament. The man behind that historic legislation is Marshall Perron. As Chief Minister of the Northern Territory from 1988 to 19…

Episode 16 – Dr Arnold’s opposition to acceptance of VAD: a personal journey

Dr Lynn Arnold once stood firmly against voluntary assisted dying (VAD). Initially concerned about the potential for abuse, his perspective changed after witnessing the prolonged suffering of his cousin and, later, supporting his mother through her own VAD journey. Her decision, carried out with di…

Episode 15 – Supporting patient-centred decisions in palliative care

Voluntary assisted dying isn’t just about law – it’s about people, compassion, and choice. Dr Peter Allcroft, one of South Australia’s most influential leaders in palliative care and voluntary assisted dying, shares how his professional journey has led him to this deeply meaningful work.  Starting…