Euthanasia deaths increasing in Queensland, but advocates want more

A report recently released out of Queensland, Australia, shows an alarming rise in the number of euthanasia deaths that have been committed through the country's Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) laws.

Key Takeaways:

• A report shows a 35 percent increase in euthanasia deaths in Queensland, Australia.

• Report authors want to find ways to encourage even more doctors to participate in euthanasia killings.

• Numerous incidents have shown there are problems with oversight in distributing the deadly euthanasia drugs.

The Details:

The Queensland Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board Annual Report details deaths from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. The statistics within it show a sobering 35% increase in euthanasia deaths over the previous year, although report authors suggest finding even more ways to increase these deaths due to a rise in demand. Notable stats include:

• 1,072 patients died via euthanasia or assisted suicide.

• 73% of deaths were practitioner administered (euthanasia), while 27% were self-administered (suicide).

• 25.9% of patients were not receiving palliative care at the time of their death.

The report acknowledges that "the demand for access to voluntary assisted dying continues to grow."

‘The slippery slope is real’: The troubling reality of skyrocketing euthanasia rates

"At the same time," it laments, "the increased demand across the system is being managed by a smaller number of authorised voluntary assisted dying practitioners, presenting potential challenges for individual practitioners and for the system.

One of the report's recommendations is to expand the number of practitioners willing to kill patients, and "understand barriers that may exist in workforce participation."

Zoom Out:

Queensland legalized euthanasia in 2021 — and deaths have risen every year since that occasion.

The Australian state is also experiencing problems with oversight of euthanasia drugs. In 2023, a man took his own life using the assisted suicide drugs meant for his wife. Another man nearly died earlier this year after accidentally ingesting the drugs prescribed to his partner for her assisted suicide death. Just last month, three Queensland individuals were arrested for conducting an illegal euthanasia ring that may have killed over 20 people.

Despite these incidents, proponents are still calling for greater access to euthanasia.

The Bottom Line:

Bishop Tim Harris of Townsville, Queensland, lamented the rise in deaths, especially given that there are gaps in palliative care being offered.

“This fact is not to be celebrated but condemned, especially when the state has chosen to go down this path,” he told The Catholic Leader. 

“Adequate funding for palliative care still has not been addressed and if it was with the proper education VAD would not have seen the light of day. 

“Instead, we have government sanctioned suicide being offered to people at their most vulnerable. Humanity deserves better.”