The voluntary assisted dying bill will be discussed in Queensland’s parliament tomorrow, after two years of reform and consultation.

Under the proposed bill, people looking to access voluntary assisted dying procedures would have a diagnosis of an advanced or progressive disease, illness or medical condition, that would likely cause death within 12 months as well as intolerable suffering.

Former Queensland and federal president of the Australian Medical Association Dr Steve Hambleton said he has a number of concerns.

“I think that people are thinking this is a single issue, like we want it or we don’t,” he said.

“There are people who say ‘Well OK I support it’ but we really have to be careful about how it’s introduced and I think that’s the issue that’s really important for our parliamentarians.”

He said it was an inexact science to predict when someone would die, and 12 months was the “wrong number”.

“We’ve got to look at that number, you are just asking a doctor to make an impossible prediction and that’s going to make some people believe quite wrongly that they are not going to be here in 12 months.”

Press PLAY below to hear Dr Hambleton’s insights into the complexities of the bill

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