By Ethan James

When 80-year-old Annie, who had metastatic breast cancer, applied for voluntary assisted dying, her faith-based aged care home told her she would have to be assessed off-site.

A major problem was that Annie was bed-bound and could only be moved by a hoist.

After her doctor and daughter Charlotte raised concerns, she was allowed to access voluntary assisted dying (VAD) on site.

“We had to force their hand. They really didn’t know how to cope with it. They didn’t want anyone in the facility to know about it,” Charlotte said.

Annie’s story was one of many shared in advocacy body Go Gentle Australia‘s 2026 state of voluntary assisted dying report, published on Tuesday.

It found VAD laws, first introduced in Australia in Victoria in 2019, were largely effective in reducing the suffering of terminally ill people and allowing them choice over their death.

However, barriers remain, including around access, complex processes and difficulties finding trained practitioners especially outside major cities.

There were also “roadblocks” caused by the non-participation of healthcare institutions and individuals.

According to the Australian Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, aged care residents have the right to access VAD even when the provider has decided not to participate.

Go Gentle Australia’s 2025 Australian Voluntary Assisted Dying Survey found one-in-five respondents did not feel VAD was supported by healthcare facilities.

Obstructions by faith-based facilities, refusal by hospitals to facilitate access and challenges in aged care settings, were reported.

“A right to conscientiously object to being involved in VAD is a cornerstone of Australia’s VAD laws,” Go Gentle Australia founding director Andrew Denton said.

“But a right to object should never become a right to obstruct.

“Evidence shows that obstruction can cause serious distress and harm to dying people and their families. It is also unethical and against professional codes of conduct and must be addressed.”

The report has called for several reforms, including clear guidance for practitioners and facilities, as well as criminal code changes so people can discuss VAD via electronic communications and telehealth when needed.

A central Queensland man died while waiting to access VAD because his script for the medication was required to be mailed to a central pharmacy in Brisbane, the report said.

In 2024/25, 3329 people died by VAD nationwide, up 48 per cent from the previous financial year. Four in 10 applicants accessed from outside major cities.

Go Gentle Australia CEO Linda Swan said the evidence painted a reassuring picture overall, but increased demand raised concerns about workforce capacity and long-term sustainability.

“Many VAD health professionals work after hours and on weekends and receive little or no financial compensation,” she said.

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