Voluntary Assisted Dying Implemented In WA

voluntary-assisted-dying-wa

The introduction of voluntary assisted dying legislation in Western Australia was very contentious and divisive. Now that the new legislation is in force, when does it apply and what is the process involved?

On 1 July 2021 the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2019 came into effect and eligible West Australians gained access to voluntary assisted dying.

Voluntary assisted dying allows eligible adults to request and access medical assistance to end their life if they are suffering from an advanced, progressive disease, illness or medical condition that is expected to cause death within 6 months (12 months for neurodegenerative diseases). The disease, illness or condition must also cause suffering to the person that cannot be relieved in a manner that the person considers tolerable.

The Process

To initiate the process, a patient must make the first clear and unambiguous request to an eligible medical practitioner for access to voluntary assisted dying.

After the first request is made the patient is assessed by at least two independent and appropriately trained medical practitioners. First, the medical practitioner that accepts the request, referred to as the coordinating practitioner, and if they are satisfied then secondly, the consulting practitioner.

Throughout the process, the patient must make 3 separate clear and unambiguous requests for voluntary assisted dying. The first request mentioned above, a written declaration that is witnessed by two people and can be made after a patient is assessed as eligible, and a final request. The final request can only be made after the end of the designated period (currently a 9-day period beginning on the day that the patient made the first request).

Voluntary

One of the key criteria required to access the voluntary assisted dying process is that it must be voluntary. The person must have the requisite enduring capacity to make the decision for themselves and the decision must be made without coercion.

A person cannot access the voluntary assisted dying process if they have lost their decision-making capacity.

Where possible, every person should carefully consider their treatment wishes while they have decision-making capacity and should ensure that they have valid and up to date estate planning documents, which may include a will, enduring power of attorney, enduring power of guardianship and an advanced health directive, that reflect their current wishes. You may also wish to ensure that your families and health practitioners are aware and informed of your treatment wishes should you become terminally ill, bearing in mind that they cannot access voluntary assisted dying on your behalf.

For legal advice on the voluntary assisted dying legislation, please contact our Wills and Estates team.

Our Wills & Estates Lawyers in Perth provide specialist advice and assistance on a range of estate planning, wills and probate areas on a Fixed Fee Price basis. Our Wills & Estate Lawyers in Perth can help you with understanding, advising and planning:

 Contact BBV Legal to book an appointment today.  Bowen Buchbinder Vilensky has over 25 years of experience providing legal services in Perth.

Estate Planning In a Digital World

bbv-legal-estate-planning

There is no disputing the fact that we now live in a digital and technological world. Here’s what you need to know about estate planning in a digital world.

Personal diaries have been replaced by blogs and social media accounts, books replaced by kindles, bank cards replaced by digital wallets and you can now do most of your shopping from the comfort of your own home. There is no escape from the advancement of technology and as time goes on, more and more of our possessions will be digitised.

The question now is: what happens to these digital assets when you die and how can they be transferred to another person?

What Are Digital Assets?

In simple terms, a digital asset is anything that is stored digitally. Digital assets may include emails, photographs, blogs, websites, electronic documents, cryptocurrency, and content uploaded to social media accounts. Some digital assets may only have sentimental value, whereas others may have significant monetary value. In some circumstances, it may not even be a digital asset at all but rather a licence to use a service.

What Happens to These Digital Assets on Your Death?

At present, access to a person’s digital assets is largely determined by contract and user agreements. For example, some social media platforms will deactivate an account after no access for a certain period. Others may provide the option for an account to be memorialised.

There are currently no laws in Australia that expressly outline what happens to a person’s digital assets on their death. Ultimately, this is entirely dependent on the provider concerned and the user agreement in place which often sets out what is to happen to the digital asset after death.

It is important to note that some digital assets such as cryptocurrency do require prior planning on behalf of the deceased for access to those assets to be granted after death. Cryptocurrencies often rely on access keys or passwords to access the wallet and trading platform, with no alternative access methods generally being available.

How Can I Ensure My Digital Assets Are Transferred to My Loved Ones After My Death?

There are several issues that need to be considered when providing instructions in relation to your digital assets. We recommend that your digital assets be considered as part of your overall estate plan.

To assist your executor and loved ones, you should make a list of your digital assets and consider what you would like to happen with those assets after your death. It is critical for your executor to be able to easily identify and access your digital assets. You may even wish to consider maintaining a register (hard copy or digital) of your digital profile, the services used, and your usernames and passwords used to access such accounts.

Now more than ever, people need to be aware of their available options when considering their estate planning. This certainly now also extends to options regarding digital assets.

Contact our estate planning team today to discuss your options further and receive advice tailored to your particular circumstances.