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Background to the review
The End of Life Choice Act 2019 is the law that makes assisted dying legal in New Zealand. The Act came into force on 7 November 2021, following a public referendum held alongside the 2020 General Election. The Act is administered by the Ministry of Health.
Under the legislation, the Ministry of Health must undertake a review of the operation of the Act within 3 years of it coming into force, and every 5 years after that.
The first review of the Act was undertaken in 2024.
Terms of reference
The terms of reference for the review set out the scope and approach for how it would be carried out.
- Terms of Reference for the Review of the End of Life Choice Act 2019 (Word, 32 KB)
- Terms of Reference for the Review of the End of Life Choice Act 2019 (PDF, 75 KB)
How the review took place
The review of the End of Life Choice Act was undertaken in 2 parts:
- a review of the operation of the Act by the Ministry of Health
- an online process to gather public opinion about changes that could be made to the Act.
Reviewing the operation of the Act
The review of the operation of the End of Life Choice Act considered whether the legislation is operating well and achieving its intended purposes.
In reviewing the Act, the Ministry considered whether changes could:
- increase clarity around the meaning and interpretation of rules or settings in the Act
- improve the effectiveness of mechanisms in the Act, such as those intended to address issues of access and safety
- support effective administration of assisted dying
- provide clarity around the roles and responsibilities of those involved
- improve alignment of the Act with other relevant pieces of legislation, and the wider health system (including the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022).
This part of the review focused on how well the Act is working currently, rather than changes to the intent of the Act. For this reason, it was informed by targeted engagement with relevant stakeholders, including groups or individuals who:
- have a role under the Act
- are involved in providing assisted dying services
- have particular knowledge or expertise related to the Act.
Public consultation
Public consultation for feedback on the End of Life Choice Act took place from 1 August to 26 September 2024. Public feedback was summarised in a report, which was provided to the Minister of Health alongside the Ministry’s review of the operation of the Act.
Final reports
The Ministry provided the following reports to the Minister of Health on 7 November 2024:
- Review of the End of Life Choice Act 2019
- Summary of Online Submissions Received on the End of Life Choice Act 2019
The Minister of Health tabled these reports in Parliament on 20 November 2024.
Government parties have agreed that any changes to the Act will be proposed through members’ bills.