# Northern Territory voluntary assisted dying legislation

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/northern-territory-voluntary-assisted-dying-legislation
> Updated: 2026-08-26T08:30:00.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 2.

The Northern Territory has legalized voluntary assisted dying through the passage of the Rights of the Terminally Ill bill. The legislation was passed via a conscience vote and includes a provision limiting access to patients with a predicted life expectancy of 12 months or less.

The bill contains a controversial “gag clause” that prohibits healthcare professionals from initiating discussions regarding end-of-life options with patients. While the Australian Medical Association Northern Territory (AMA NT) criticized the clause as an “unacceptable intrusion into clinical practice” and labeled the 12-month prognosis requirement as “clinically arbitrary and effectively unworkable,” the government has defended the restrictions. Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby stated the safeguards are intended to protect vulnerable patients from potential coercion.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-26: Northern Territory passes voluntary assisted dying law

The Northern Territory has passed a voluntary assisted dying law, though it includes a controversial clause barring doctors from initiating end-of-life discussions with patients.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/northern-territory-passes-voluntary-assisted-dying-law

### 2026-08-23: AMA NT urges Northern Territory government to amend assisted dying laws

The AMA NT is urging the Northern Territory government to remove restrictions from proposed voluntary assisted dying laws, specifically a gag clause and a 12-month terminal prognosis requirement.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ama-nt-urges-northern-territory-government-to-amend-assisted-dying-laws

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Cite as: Northern Territory voluntary assisted dying legislation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/northern-territory-voluntary-assisted-dying-legislation