The Northern Territory (NT) Government has announced plans to introduce Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) legislation to its Parliament in mid-2026, a significant step in restoring end-of-life choice for Territorians nearly three decades after a previous law was overturned, officials and media reports say.

According to ABC News, the government confirmed on 2 January 2026 that it will draft and present the VAD Bill this year, allowing members of the Legislative Assembly to vote on the measure.

If passed, the Bill would make the NT the last Australian jurisdiction to adopt statutory voluntary assisted dying laws, after other states and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) moved to legalise the practice. Reports from NT News indicate the Bill will be subject to a conscience vote for all MPs, meaning legislators may vote according to their personal or community views rather than along party lines.

Voluntary assisted dying involves a terminally ill person choosing to end life with medical assistance under strict legal safeguards. It is already legal in Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT, but remains illegal in the NT until new laws are enacted, according to Go Gentle Australia.

The NT has a long history with assisted dying policy. In 1995, the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act made the Territory the first place in the world to legalise euthanasia, but that law was overturned by the federal parliament in 1997, leaving the Territory unable to legislate on the issue for more than two decades, historical legislative records show. The situation changed in 2022 when the Restoring Territory Rights Act passed the Australian Parliament, restoring the NT’s ability to make its own laws on VAD.

Australian Parliament House
In 2025, the NT Government established an expert advisory panel and referred its findings to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee for further inquiry. This committee conducted community consultations and heard evidence from health professionals, patients, family members and other stakeholders across the territory. According to ABC News, the committee’s final report recommended that VAD legislation be adopted with specific safeguards and criteria tailored to the NT context.

Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby said the government is working through the committee’s recommendations and that the Bill will focus on eligibility criteria, decision-making processes and protections for vulnerable people. Reports from the Courier-Mail quoting Boothby indicate that most recommendations have been accepted by the Country Liberal Party (CLP) government and that careful work continues on the final draft.

The VAD Bill’s introduction follows extensive public debate and political engagement. In October 2025, around half of NT parliamentarians expressed support for reintroducing VAD laws after committee consultations, an indicator of changing attitudes on the issue. NT News reporting noted the broader community’s role in shaping the policy direction.

As it stands, the proposed legislation is intended to provide a legal choice for those with a terminal, incurable condition who wish to end their lives with medical support under regulated conditions. Supporters argue the law would offer compassion and dignity at the end of life, while critics urge careful safeguards and community education to address ethical concerns.

The NT Government has not yet released the full text of the proposed Bill, but the Territory’s move to introduce voluntary assisted dying laws marks a notable development in Australia’s long-running debate on end-of-life choice and medical ethics, one that will play out in Parliament when sittings resume later in 2026.