Assisted dying in New Zealand from November 2021

The right to die. Euthanasia. Assisted suicide. Whichever term you choose, the practice will be legal in New Zealand from November, 2021.

The procedure will also be publicly funded.

The law received 65.1 per cent support in a public referendum held alongside last year’s general election and is due to come into force on November 7.

Andrew Little says the Government has appointed a three-person specialist committee to oversee the operation of the Act. Membership of the End of Life Review Committee must include a medical ethicist, a doctor specialising in end-of-life care and a health practitioner.

The first three members of the committee are:

Dr Dana Wensley, medical ethicist.
Ms Belinda Close, health practitioner.
Dr Jane Greville, medical practitioner practising end-of-life care.
“The committee will review reports on assisted deaths and report to the Registrar (assisted dying) at the Ministry of Health and to the Minister of Health,” Andrew Little said.

“This independent review mechanism is one of the many safeguards put in place to ensure the service is operating in line with strict criteria set out by the Act.

“The other body required under the legislation, the Support and Consultation for End of Life in New Zealand group, or SCENZ, was appointed in August. Its responsibilities include maintaining a list of health practitioners providing assisted-dying services, and helping develop and oversee standards of care.”



“Medical and nurse practitioners who provide care as part of the assisted-dying service will be paid for their work and for their travel costs.”