Helga Kuhse (DWDV) persuades Health Minister David White to establish a Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry into Dying with Dignity. This Inquiry rejected the ‘right to die’ but did recommend formally legalising the common law right to refuse treatment. This Inquiry led directly to the Victorian Medical Treatment Act, establishing the right to refuse treatment and the right to appoint a Medical Enduring Power of Attorney. The Act also included the statement that the Parliament believed “it was desirable that dying patients receive maximum relief of pain and suffering”.

DWDV President Dr. Rodney Syme advised Marshall Perron on medical aspects of the campaign to legislate ROTI, and Kuhse and Syme gave evidence at the NT Parliamentary Inquiry into ROTI, which was passed in 1995.

DWDV President Dr. Rodney Syme reports three deaths to the Coroner – in each case, death was hastened by terminal sedation. Two were cancer patients, one had multiple sclerosis, and all refused medical treatment, in particular food and fluids. The Coroner took four years to decide that the deaths were not outside acceptable medical care.

DWDV, through the efforts of its Secretary, has a review of the Medical Treatment Act adopted as Labor policy. This was later revoked without explanation.

DWDV counsels and supports the family of BWV, a woman with dementia in a persistent vegetative state, whose life is maintained by tube feeding against her wishes. This leads to a Supreme Court decision that such tube feeding is medical treatment (not palliative care) that can be refused.

Dr. Rodney Syme counsels Steve Guest, a man with terminal cancer, giving him advice that gives him control over the end of his life. After two weeks of public advocacy Steve Guest takes his own life.

DWDV held a public rally on the steps of Parliament House on June 22nd, to remember Steve Guest.

In a February Newspoll, 80% of those polled supported DWD and 14% opposed.

On July 17th a petition organised by DWDV bearing 8000 signatures was presented to the Victorian Parliament.

At the annual Steve Guest Day rally on the Parliament steps, Marshal Perron, former Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, spoke in support of a Private Members Bill, “The Medical Treatment (Physician Assisted Dying) Bill”, presented by Ken Smith, Liberal, and Colleen Hartland, Greens.

In May the Dying with Dignity Bill 2009 was introduced into the Tasmanian House of Assembly as a Private Members Bill by the leader of the Tasmanian Greens.
2009: On April 15th the DWDV Facebook page was founded.

The ABC’s Background Briefing, discussed “A Dignified Death: Who Decides How We Die?” in a story by Di Martin on June 12th.

In November the online The Conversation ran an eight-part series, “Talking about Death and Dying” which included references to Dr Rodney Syme, Vice President of Dying With Dignity Victoria.

The Age, on April 2nd, ran a feature story on Beverly Broadbent, whose death on February 11th was the result of her own decision. The online version of the article included a Question and Answer session with Dr Rodney Syme.

In May Dr Rodney Syme publicly declared that he had provided Nembutal to Steve Guest, and said that if the police charge him, the issue of assisted suicide would be forced into the courts.

On 24th June 2014, the Senate referred the exposure draft of the Medical Services (Dying with Dignity) Bill 2014, with particular reference to the rights of terminally ill people to seek assistance in ending their lives, and an appropriate framework and safeguards with which to do so, to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report. The Bill was introduced by Greens Senator Richard di Natale. Submissions closed on November 10th.