Together we have achieved a victory for the End of Life Choice Act 2019 in New Zealand. Now all the ballot box votes have been counted our success is overwhelming 65.2% YES while the no vote was half that – 33.8%.

Our members and supporters are responsible for the hard work that was needed to stem the tide of misinformation churned out by our opponents. We thank you all for your ideas, efforts, and enthusiasm.

Now we have one year to wait while the Director-General of Health takes 3 main steps:

• appointing a Registrar (assisted dying) – to monitor the whole process
   
• establishing the Support and Consultation for End of Life in New Zealand (SCENZ) Group – to determine standards and provide a list of health practitioners and pharmacists who are willing to participate
   
• appointing an End of Life Review Committee. This is the compliance and review body.

There are plenty more issues that will involve guidance from the Medical Council but by November 6th 2021, terminally-ill Kiwis will be able to ask their doctors for compassionate release from unbearable suffering.

As his final words on Friday David Seymour said: “What a wonderful day to be a New Zealander”.

OH YES!