The ban on telehealth in voluntary assisted dying doesn’t stack up. Here’s why it should be scrapped

Australia's federal law banning telehealth in voluntary assisted dying faces new pressure for repeal. The Conversation reports that Labor's national conference backed the change; the Commonwealth Criminal Code provision was originally aimed at pro-suicide websites but now blocks end-of-life consultations. The impact is severe for terminally ill patients, especially in rural areas—forcing long, painful travel for appointments that could happen over video. In remote Western Australia, doctors sometimes spend two days to see a single patient. Australia is the only country with this ban; the US, Canada, and other jurisdictions allow telehealth for voluntary assisted dying. Repealing it requires just one sentence of law.

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