After 10 years as President of Dying With Dignity Queensland, Jos Hall has decided that she will not nominate to continue in this role, or to continue on the DWDQ committee after the AGM which will be on Friday 15 November 2024.
If you would like information on what is involved in being DWDQ President, please email [email protected]
We also invite expressions of interest from anyone who is interested in becoming the DWDQ Vice President. This person would work closely with the President and share the workload.
Please email your expression of interest in becoming the DWDQ Vice President to [email protected]
There will be a careful handover to anyone who takes up these positions.
Information sessions that are currently planned for October and November 2024 are:
- Bribie Island RSL – Wednesday 2 October 2024 starting at 10.30am. To register and for catering purposes, please email [email protected] stating how many people you would like to bring (e.g. + 2)
- Caboolture Library – Caboolture, Thursday 3 October 2024. This event is fully booked.
- Redcliffe Library – on Friday 11 October 2024 starting at 10am. To register and for catering purposes, please email [email protected] stating how many people you would like to bring (e.g. + 2)
- Bundaberg Library – Monday 21 October 2024, starting at 10am. The guest speaker will be lawyer Sarah. To RSVP, please email Cynthia at [email protected]
- Hervey Bay Library – Pialba, on Tuesday 22 October 2024, starting at 10am. To RSVP, email Cynthia at [email protected]
- Mt Ommaney Library – 171 Dandenong Rd, Mt Ommaney on Sunday 3 November 2024, starting at 3pm. Please feel free to bring your family and friends and anyone who would like to know about voluntary assisted dying. To RSVP, email Jos at [email protected]
- Caboolture Library - 4 Hasking St Caboolture, on Thursday 7 November, starting at 10am. To register and for catering purposes, please email [email protected] stating how many people you would like to bring (e.g. + 2)
- Ipswich YMCA – 98 Limestone St, Ipswich on Tuesday 12 November 2024, starting at 10.30am. To register and for catering purposes, please email [email protected] stating how many extra people you would like to bring (e.g. + 2)
- Toowoomba City Library - 155 Herries St Toowoomba, on Thursday 14th November, starting at 10:30 am. To register and for catering purposes, please email [email protected] stating how many people you would like to bring (e.g. + 2)
- Garden City Library – Garden City, corner of Logan and Kessels Rd, Upper Mt Gravatt, on Tuesday 19 November 2024, starting at 10.30am. To register and for catering purposes, please email [email protected] stating how many people you would like to bring (e.g. + 2)
- Victoria Point Library – 7/15 Bunker Rd, Victoria Point on Friday 27 November 2024, starting at 10am. To register and for catering purposes, please email [email protected] stating how many people you would like to bring (e.g. + 2)
Seniors Expos
- Acacia Ridge, Brisbane - DWDQ will have a table at the “I Love Seniors Celebration” on Thursday 10 October 2024. Join us at the 50 & Better Acacia Ridge ICH Neighbourhood Centre to celebrate Seniors Month and World Mental Health Day, everyone is welcome to this free event.
I Love Seniors, A Southside Celebration | Brisbane City Council
- Avenell Heights, Bundaberg - DWDQ will have a table at the U3A Seniors Expo on Wednesday 14 October 2024. There is no need to RSVP, just drop in anytime from 9.30am to 3pm – click on the link for more information
Bundaberg Seniors One Stop Expo - Queensland Seniors Month (qldseniorsmonth.org.au) -
As well as information sessions, we are also considering making podcasts and having webinars to reach people living in regional and remote areas.
News from other Australian jurisdictions.
What happens in other States and Territories is important for Queensland.
The VAD law in each jurisdiction is slightly different to each other.
The Queensland VAD Act 2024 says about time to death:
“A person is eligible for access to voluntary assisted dying if —
(a) the person has been diagnosed with a disease, illness or medical condition that—
(i) is advanced, progressive and will cause death; and
(ii) is expected to cause death within 12 months;”
The Australian Capital Territory VAD legislation, which was passed in June this year, does not specify a time to death. It says:
“For this Act, an individual meets the eligibility requirements if —
they have been diagnosed with a condition that, either on its own or in combination with 1 or more other diagnosed conditions, is advanced, progressive and expected to cause death (the relevant conditions)”
The Qld VAD Act is due to be reviewed on 1st Jan 2026. In the meantime, DWDQ will be closely watching what happens in the ACT after VAD is available there after 3rd November 2025.
The Northern Territory is now the only Australian jurisdiction where VAD is not legal. At the recent NT General Election, the CLP (Country Liberal Party), which has not indicated that it will seek to legalise VAD during its next term was elected.
DWDQ believes if VAD is legal throughout Australia, this may be the first step toward having state residency laws removed.
To be able to continue, DWDQ needs financial support, so please consider making a tax-deductible donation.
DWDQ is an ACNC registered charity. Donations over $2 are tax-deductible.
Click on the link below to donate.