Looming Australian Govt Federal Election / No Telehealth / No Medicare Numbers

As of today an Australian Govt / federal election needs to be held within the next 11-12 weeks.

The Albanese Govt flushed Kate Chaney’s private members bill to decriminalise the use of Telehealth for VAD purposes down the toilet. This was in spite of most state VAD Boards requesting this, as well as most state Attorney General’s doing so as well. (The Qld VSAD Review Board has recommended this in 2 annual reports now.)

Additionally the Qld VAD Review Board for the 2nd consecutive annual VAD report also recommended that the federal Govt create Medicare numbers for VAD tasks undertaken by clinicians. We are facing a manpower crisis in our VAD qualified clinicians and Canberra cannot help to ensure they are remunerated for the onerous and lengthy tasks, assessments and reports required for VAD.

Albanese and his Labor government seem to be deliberately making implementation of VAD more difficult for our terminally ill Australians - that by definition of VAD eligibility criteria, are in intolerable suffering.

Way to go Albo. Your compassion and empathy is as evident as your courage. If we were a gambling corporation or a coal miner we’d probably get your attention - terminally ill Australians who live in intolerable suffering, those Australians all across our country, they can’t get any of your attention.

For us, our how to vote card is looking like:

1. FOR any Teal Independent like Kate Chaney
2. Undecided for the Greens. The Green’s are probably worth a vote for us for our VAD issues. However the federal Greens have been pretty non-committal on their Telehealth / Medicare / VAD support so far. They were not supportive of Kate Chaney’s PM Telehealth Bill when we spoke to one of our Federal Green MP’s here in Qld. It was “too hard if the Govt didn’t want to move on it”. Too hard. Not worth our effort. Message received. So far anyway.
3. Not Labor
4. Not LNP (are worse than federal Labor re VAD if that’s even possible)

But do your own due diligence and evaluation. We are biased in terms of advocating for our causes and our membership.

Regarding VAD, the bottom-line appears to be that terminally ill Australians in intolerable suffering are “too hard” to be helped by everyone except Teal independents.

However we remain hopeful – to the extent that a hung parliament may be just what we need to get some legislative change, right across the board on many issues, not just our VAD ones.

So, a “well-hung” parliament may get us the help we need in the VAD area. Speaking of a well hung parliament please check out the informative Knitting Nannas YouTube on this very important issue at this link.

We would also encourage you to learn more about the values of your own sitting federal member. To do so, please use this link to the “They Vote For You” website. If the name of your MP escapes you, type in your postcode and it should get you to your electorate. Take a look at the issues your MP voted for and against. Ask: “Are their values, your values”?

Note however that many motions like Kate Chaney’s Private Member’s Bill for decriminalising Telehealth for VAD, do not make it to a vote, and are therefore not recorded on the “They Vote For You" website’s official record. If Captain Courageous Albo doesn’t want a vote on the floor of parliament on any issue he doesn’t like, then we don’t get a say. Albo has the ONLY say that matters. It appears only Albo decides for us all - not his ministers who he likes to over-rule, and not caucus or the party room. We think his mantra of “I hope I don’t have to do anything” receives its just reward.

Decisions made behind the scenes by Regulation and/or Ministerial Powers or Albo over-ruling Ministers also don’t make it onto the official voting record. You probably won’t find “coal mine expansion approval” in the list of voting records. And you surely will not find a vote on “banning gambling ads” - despite a bipartisan enquiry recommending it. Again, Albo decided not to have a vote on that legislation too. Bob Hawke would not have ignored these issues. Sigh. Vale Bob Hawke.

And lastly, and this gives us hope too. Remember “There is no such thing as a safe seat”. This conclusion is according to the Australia Institute. Click here for their article on this topic. This is too is music to our ears.

In summary, think about who you vote for this coming election. Vote on the issues that matter most to you. Every vote is important in the coming election in any electorate. Think, and then please help us get a well-hung parliament to enact some well debated, well negotiated, people-friendly legislation - instead of corporate Australia ruling us through their duopoly control of both major parties.

Griefline – VAD Specific Support Groups – Australia Wide

Griefline will be running VAD specific support groups. And they are online and therefore Australia wide.

There are two support group options:

• Pre-VAD monthly online drop in sessions; And
• Post VAD online support groups as well.

So if you or a loved one are dealing with VAD /related issues then please consider them as help you can turn to.

Full details can be found at this link. Scroll down the page to see the “How to Register” section.

Additionally, the Griefline helpline is available 8am to 8pm (AEST), 7 days per week, on phone number 1300 845 745.

You can also fill in a “Request a Call Back” form for their call back service which is available Mon to Fri.

Did you Know?

Voluntary Assisted Dying in South Australia recently had its 2nd Birthday. Sorry we missed an earlier mention. VAD in SA became a legal end of life choice for South Australians on 31 Jan 2023. Happy Birthday!

The South Australian advocacy group “Voluntary Assisted Dying South Australia” has a website rich in resources - especially their factsheets & newsletters. Great going VADSA!

Click here for the link to the VADSA website.