This podcast series aims to share stories from the family members of loved ones who have accessed Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) in South Australia. VAD enables eligible people to voluntarily access and self-administer - or in some cases have a doctor administer - a medication that will end their life.
The journeys undertaken in this podcast are deeply personal and reflective of the speakers' own experiences and circumstances.
VAD in South Australia is only accessible to people who meet strict criteria.
Comprehensive information on Voluntary Assisted Dying in Your State is provided on the Go Gentle website at https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/vad_in_your_state (https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/vad_in_your_state) or by contacting your State Health Department.
If listening to this podcast raises distressing issues for you, please contact one of the following support services:
Griefline (https://griefline.org.au/ (https://griefline.org.au/)) 1300 845 745
Grief Australia (https://www.grief.org.au/ (https://www.grief.org.au/)) 1800 642 745
Lifeline (https://www.lifeline.org.au/ (https://www.lifeline.org.au/)) 13 11 14, or chat online 24 hours a day
Episode 29 – SA Deputy Premier Kyam Maher reflects on the hard-fought push for VAD
Kyam Maher, South Australian Deputy Premier and Attorney-General, reveals how his mother's harrowing pancreatic cancer death drove him to introduce South Australia's successful 2020 voluntary assisted dying legislation—succeeding where 15 previous bills over 26 years had failed.
Maher chairs South Australia's Legislative Council and championed VAD reform after witnessing his mother's excruciating final weeks. Modelling the bill closely on Victoria's scheme proved decisive, alongside powerful committee evidence from police, coroners and grieving families.
He discusses VAD's operation since 2023, the "beautiful death" testimonies at annual remembrance events, and the mandatory legislative review due by early 2028. Maher canvasses likely reform areas: residency requirements, the doctor-initiated discussion ban unique to South Australia, prognosis timeframes, and access for people with neurodegenerative diseases who risk losing capacity. He also addresses persistent coercion myths, noting no evidence has emerged anywhere in Australia.
Comprehensive information on Voluntary Assisted Dying in Your State is provided on the Go Gentle website at https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/vad_in_your_state (https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/vad_in_your_state) or by contacting your State Health Department.
If listening to this podcast raises distressing issues for you, please contact one of the following support services:
Griefline (https://griefline.org.au/ (https://griefline.org.au/)) 1300 845 745
Grief Australia (https://www.grief.org.au/ (https://www.grief.org.au/)) 1800 642 745
Lifeline (https://www.lifeline.org.au/ (https://www.lifeline.org.au/)) 13 11 14, or chat online 24 hours a day
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
30 Aug 2026
Episode 28 – How the NT's New VAD Law Falls Short of 1995
Marshall Perron drafted the world's first voluntary assisted dying legislation in 1995 as Chief Minister of the Northern Territory – decades before most nations even debated the issue, and years before it was overturned by federal intervention.
Marshall reflects on his 21 years in Northern Territory politics and the personal conviction that drove him to champion VAD reform. He unpacks the 25-year political battle that followed, including the federal override that cost countless Australians a dignified death, and the recent passing of new Northern Territory legislation that, remarkably, offers fewer protections than his original 1995 law.
Marshall discusses the ongoing fight to lift the federal telehealth ban restricting VAD access for rural and remote Australians, the political reluctance shaping this debate, and where he believes the movement must focus next – including eligibility reform and the complex question of advance directives for dementia patients.
Comprehensive information on Voluntary Assisted Dying in Your State is provided on the Go Gentle website at https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/vad_in_your_state (https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/vad_in_your_state) or by contacting your State Health Department.
If listening to this podcast raises distressing issues for you, please contact one of the following support services:
Griefline (https://griefline.org.au/ (https://griefline.org.au/)) 1300 845 745
Grief Australia (https://www.grief.org.au/ (https://www.grief.org.au/)) 1800 642 745
Lifeline (https://www.lifeline.org.au/ (https://www.lifeline.org.au/)) 13 11 14, or chat online 24 hours a day
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
23 Aug 2026
Episode 27 – You Can't Always Cure, But You Can Always Heal
Voluntary assisted dying isn't just about end-of-life choice – it challenges medicine to rethink its purpose. Dr Clare Fellingham argues that while medicine cannot always cure, it can always heal by reducing suffering, preserving dignity, and putting patients at the centre of their care.
Dr Fellingham is a consultant anaesthetist, palliative medicine advanced trainee, and WA Board director for VAD Australia and New Zealand (VADANZ), the peak body representing excellence in VAD care. As an active VAD practitioner, Dr Fellingham considers it an immense privilege filled with meaning and purpose to walk alongside people with a life limiting illness, as they explore all available end-of-life care options.
In this episode, drawing on more than five years implementing and delivering voluntary assisted dying services, Clare reflects on why this work has transformed her life and career. She discusses patient-directed care, the misconceptions surrounding voluntary assisted dying, the emotional realities for practitioners, the importance of supporting families through grief, and why sustainable funding is essential if compassionate end-of-life care is to remain accessible.
Comprehensive information on Voluntary Assisted Dying in Your State is provided on the Go Gentle website at https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/vad_in_your_state (https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/vad_in_your_state) or by contacting your State Health Department.
If listening to this podcast raises distressing issues for you, please contact one of the following support services:
Griefline (https://griefline.org.au/ (https://griefline.org.au/)) 1300 845 745
Grief Australia (https://www.grief.org.au/ (https://www.grief.org.au/)) 1800 642 745
Lifeline (https://www.lifeline.org.au/ (https://www.lifeline.org.au/)) 13 11 14, or chat online 24 hours a day
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
Who has been a guest on Voices From Voluntary Assisted Dying
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Kimberly
Marshall Perron
The Honourable Reverend Dr Lynne Arnold
Dr Peter Allcroft
Casey Haining
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Podcast Authority Score: 25 / 100
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