Voluntary assisted dying is now available almost everywhere in Australia. This means eligible adults can choose to end their lives with medical assistance.

In November 2025, the Australian Capital Territory voluntary assisted dying laws came into effect.

Of the states and territories, this leaves only the Northern Territory without voluntary assisted dying.

But the NT looks set to change its laws mid-year – and other states are reviewing their current legislation.

Here’s what to expect in 2026.

In September 2025, a NT parliamentary committee recommended introducing voluntary assisted dying. It provided drafting instructions for a new bill to be written.

As 2026 began, the NT government announced it would introduce a voluntary assisted dying bill, set to be tabled mid-year. This will be decided by a conscience vote, as occurred elsewhere in Australia.

If the bill follows the national trend, it will pass. But local factors will be significant in the parliamentary debates and may influence how the law is written or implemented.

For example, the NT’s small population is spread out over a large expanse, and it has a higher proportion of Indigenous residents (30%) than other jurisdictions.

If a bill does pass, the laws are unlikely to come into effect for some time, to allow for the system to be properly set up. Based on timeframes elsewhere, territorians would likely have access to voluntary assisted........

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