The Australian Care Alliance was formed in March 2018 by health professionals, lawyers and community activists who had worked together informally to oppose the passage of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2017 through the Parliament of Victoria.
The Australian Care Alliance believes that any law permitting assisted suicide or euthanasia is inherently unsafe and unjust.
The Vision
A society where assisted suicide and euthanasia are unthinkable because:
- all Australians have access to best practice palliative care;
- disabled persons have equitable access to health care and are supported to live their lives to the full as valued members of the community;
- suicide prevention strategies and services offer hope to any Australian with suicidal ideation, including those with declining physical health; and
- elderly Australians are protected from all forms of elder abuse, including any pressure to see themselves as an unwanted burden.
The Purpose
- nurture informed conversations about dying;
- promote equal access to excellent palliative care, suicide prevention services, and support for disabled persons;
- promote the protection of the elderly and other vulnerable persons from abuse and wrongful death;
- promote alternatives to euthanasia and assisted suicide;
- support community education initiatives and the education and support of health professionals in the pursuit or furtherance of the above purposes;
- conduct research into attitudes towards and experiences of dying and end-of-life situations in Australia and overseas; and
- monitor and scrutinise the operation of laws relating to euthanasia or assisted suicide.