The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

Voluntary euthanasia

6 Dec 2016

Q. When a person has a disease that cannot be cured and is living in severe pain, do you think doctors should or should not be allowed by law to assist the patient to commit suicide if the patient requests it?

  Total   Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Vote other   Sep 2010 Nov 2013 Oct 2014 May 2015 Sep 2016
Should be allowed 69%   75% 66% 86% 68%   69% 68% 66% 72% 68%
Should not be allowed 14%   12% 18% 5% 16%   14% 19% 14% 12% 13%
Don’t know 18%   13% 16% 9% 16%   17% 13% 20% 16% 19%

69% of respondents think that that doctors should be allowed by law to assist a patient commit suicide – similar to results over the last 6 years.  14% think it should not be allowed.

86% of Green voters, 75% of Labor and 66% of Liberal/National voters agreed that doctors should be allowed by law to assist a patient to commit suicide.

70% of women, 68% of men and 74% of those aged 45-64 support voluntary euthanasia.

Error: