On 19 June 2019, the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017 (Vic) came into effect. Victoria is the first state in Australia to pass voluntary assisted dying laws. The development and passing of this legislation generated widespread discussion and public debate among stakeholders with competing rights and interests, including medical practitioners, patients, pro-life campaigners and the Victorian government. Your task is to critically evaluate the impact of these public discussions and debates on the legislative process that led to the enactment of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017 (Vic). What impact, if any, did the public discourse have on this legislation?
This is a research assignment. You are required to undertake research in respect of the relevant Victorian legislation. You need to find appropriate sources that support your discussion of the posed question and reference them adequately. Solely relying on newspaper articles is not sufficient. You should also consider academic articles, any relevant case law, submissions to government inquiries, government reports, and Parliamentary debates (Hansard). Undertaking individual research evidenced by appropriate referencing attracts overall a maximum of 10 marks.
When referencing, students must use the Australian Guide to Legal Citation 4th edition (AGLC4)
Sample Solution