Voluntary assisted dying (VAD) is now legal in every Australian state and the ACT, with legislation passed in the Northern Territory in August this year. In NSW, VAD has provided an additional end-of-life option since 2023, and a review of the NSW legislation is now underway.

The review is considering how well the current system is working and whether the laws and frameworks supporting VAD in NSW can be strengthened.

What does VAD look like in practice in NSW? Who chooses it, and why? How does it affect the clinicians involved? And what does the experience in NSW tell us about where VAD may be heading?

At the October Newcastle Institute event, on 14^th October 2026 at Newcastle Yacht Club between 6.00pm and 7.30pm, Dr Charles Douglas, Clinical Director of Voluntary Assisted Dying for Hunter New England Local Health District, will explore these questions and more.