Each state requires people to have lived there for at least 12 months to access voluntary assisted dying. Linda was the first person in NSW to receive an exemption to this rule.
Linda Koehne's family looks back on her death with a feeling of comfort, as there "wasn't a prolonged period of pain"."I know I'm biased, but she was an elegant, charming and loving person. No-one had a bad word to say about her," she said."Mum had often spoken about voluntary assisted dying and was very much for it," Mrs Biscoe said.
Alison Biscoe described her mother as "elegant" and someone who was steadfast in her opinions about voluntary assisted dying.Mrs Koehne had five cycles of immunotherapy, but for various reasons — such as the spin-off effects the treatment was having on her general health and wellbeing — it was decided that no further cycles would be undertaken.
"Even on the day itself, Mum still took her vitamins, read the newspaper and had her hair done the day before. She was cool and calm." The aim behind the residency requirements was to prevent "death tourism", which refers to the practice of potential VAD candidates travelling to a jurisdiction for the purpose of assisted dying.The annual report found 63 per cent of applicant patients during the first assessment phase were regionally based in the state. The rest were in Greater Sydney.
Following an earlier separate request process for VAD, Mrs Koehne was then eligible to access the laws in NSW."It would be great if all states and territories would align on legislation and access, because it's ridiculous — we're one country."The Criminal Code Act made it an offence to use a carriage service to publish or distribute material that counsels or incites a person to suicide.
Dying with Dignity NSW president Penny Hackett said an amendment to legislation to address this issue would be wise."It puts unnecessary burden on patients or doctors in regional and rural areas to travel large distances, so that they don't risk legal conjecture."Ms Hackett reflected on the one-year anniversary of the state's VAD laws "positively".
Death And Dying Assisted Dying Assisted Dying Laws Voluntary Assisted Dying Vad Euthaniasia Penny Hackett Dying With Dignity Nsw Death Nsw Health Linda Doreen Koehne Alison Biscoe Accredited Practitioner
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