Updated April 21, 2020 06:30:20

Sue McCuaig fell sick "out of nowhere" when a visit to the GP around Christmas time and a subsequent brain biopsy revealed grade four cancer.

Ms McCuaig, 66, was diagnosed with glioblastoma - an almost always fatal brain cancer with an average life expectancy of just over a year.

She has had radiation and chemotherapy, but the coronavirus pandemic has meant plans to travel with her family, other than a brief trip to Uluru in March, had to be cancelled.

The first question Ms McCuaig asked her doctor following her diagnosis was whether she would have the chance to stop treatment and life if she chose to.

"I am very conscious of wanting to say when it's time for me to go," she said.

"I don't want to die when I'm the sickest I could possibly be because that's the only way we're allowed to do it."

Ms McCuaig and her family are concerned that debate on a Bill to introduce voluntary assisted dying in Tasmania will be delayed due to coronavirus.

Before the pandemic, Tasmania's Parliament had been expected to debate legislation to introduce voluntary assisted dying in August.

With changes to the sitting schedule, the Bill is now likely to be tabled in late September by independent Upper House MP Michael Gaffney, and debate will need to work around a Budget session of Parliament expected in October.

Ms McCuaig's daughter Shelley said any delay could have an impact on her mother's choices.

"Knowing she would have a choice down the track would make now a less anxious time," she said.

"We'd just be a bit more reassured if we knew we could carry out mum's wishes.

"For us it absolutely is a matter of urgency and we would just ask that the politicians do prioritise this piece of legislation and do address it now."

Mr Gaffney's End of Life Choices Bill would be the fourth Bill of its kind to be debated in Tasmania's Parliament, but the first to be debated in the Upper House.

The numbers are expected to be tight in both chambers.

Under the draft Bill, to be eligible for voluntary assisted dying a person would need to be 18 or over, a Tasmanian resident, capable of making decisions, and be suffering intolerably in relation to a relevant medical condition.

It would involve two medical practitioners, and the person would need to make first, second and final requests.

Mr Gaffney said he was optimistic the Bill could pass both Houses by the end of this year, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

"The primary purpose for me for this Bill is to give people a choice. That sounds really nice, but I do believe people should have the right to choose how they exit this world, especially if they're in intolerable suffering," he said.

"Nobody wants their parent or friend or loved one to suffer needlessly. Therefore I think the time is right for this debate.

"We've got to think that if this doesn't succeed at this hearing, it will be some years before Tasmania takes on the debate again."

The Australian Medical Association's Tasmanian branch is opposed to the draft Bill as it stands.

President John Burgess labelled the proposed legislation a form of physician-assisted suicide, "to which the AMA is strongly opposed."

He has called for the Bill to be changed to remove any need for doctors to be involved, other than by providing certificates of diagnosis and prognosis.

"The legislation as a fundamental starting point should not require the doctor to be involved in the administration of the medication or whatever process is used for euthanasia," Professor Burgess said.

"That's not a doctor's role.

"A doctor's role is to care for patients, to treat them, provide comfort and support, and to relieve suffering, but not to intentionally end a patient's life."

Separately, Professor Burgess said it was "inappropriate" to progress the Bill during current circumstances due to the difficulty of running an effective consultation process.

Mr Gaffney said no doctor or nurse would be required to participate unless they wished to be involved, and they would need to undertake training similar to what was required in Victoria and Western Australia, where voluntary assisted dying has been legalised.

The now-Health Minister Sarah Courtney told Parliament during debate on the last Bill in 2017 that she wanted it to be legal for an individual to choose to end their life when their circumstances were filled with intolerable and unrelievable suffering, but ultimately voted against that Bill.

Ms Courtney said she would give the new legislation careful consideration and scrutiny.

Mr Gaffney is seeking feedback on the draft Bill.

Topics:community-and-society,death,euthanasia,health,diseases-and-disorders,covid-19,tas,hobart-7000,launceston-7250

First posted April 21, 2020 05:41:44

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Terminally ill Hobart woman wants to choose when she dies, but coronavirus delays assisted dying legislation - ABC News