Australian state-sanctioned suicides up by almost a half

Deaths under ‘voluntary assisted dying’ (VAD) laws in Australia increased by 48 per cent last year, it has been estimated.

Based on publicly available data, the pro-euthanasia lobby group Go Gentle calculated that there were 3,329 VAD deaths nationally in 2024-25, accounting for around two per cent of all deaths.

Since June 2019, 7,082 Australians have died using VAD lethal drugs, either self-administered or administered by a practitioner.

Death statistics

Tasmania reported the highest percentage rise, up 73 per cent from 63 deaths in 2023-24, to 209 in 2024-25.

Queensland returned a higher number of deaths by euthanasia or assisted suicide than any other state, with 1,072 people dying under its VAD scheme last year.

In New South Wales, the median applicant took only 20 days from first request to VAD death.

All jurisdictions in Australia have VAD laws, except the Northern Territory where legislators are considering a change in the law.

Burden

Earlier this year, a Queenslander facing care challenges due to his Motor Neurone Disease started the VAD process.

Diagnosed in 2025, 71-year-old Tony Lewis said he wanted help to die for fear of becoming a burden to his wife.

Tony’s wife Gill, who provides much of his round-the-clock care, attributed most of their frustrations to the Government-funded care system moving at a “glacial pace”.

Aged care campaign group HelloCare reported that Lewis “has been clear that the decision is not driven by a lack of will to live, but by the absence of appropriate care options that would allow him to remain at home with dignity”.