Voluntary assisted dying is now legal Australia-wide, but barriers to access still exist

Last Thursday, the Northern Territory became the final Australian jurisdiction to legalise voluntary assisted dying (VAD).But there are still nationwide barriers to access that families and advocates say cause unnecessary stress and suffering for people who are terminally ill.One of those barriers is the requirement to have been a resident in your state for at least 12 months before applying for VAD.It was a rule Anita Rumore and her father, who had terminal brain cancer, were unaware of when he moved from New South Wales to Western Australia to be closer to Anita at the end of his life.Now Anita, and organisations including Go Gentle Australia, are calling for change.