This report contains quotes and feedback from people who have chosen to die from taking the voluntary assisted dying substance, those who were with them when they died, and trained medical practitioners involved in voluntary assisted dying cases. It details activity from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023, in addition to activity since the commencement of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017 (Vic) on 19 June 2019.

In this reporting period, the number of applications has risen by 6 per cent to 649 compared with the previous year. The number of deaths from people accessing a voluntary assisted dying substance has risen by 11 per cent to 306.

It is emphasised that this number of people accessing a voluntary assisted dying substance does not represent the full beneficial impacts of the voluntary assisted dying program. There are, in addition, people who obtain the substance but choose not to use it, who receive comfort and relief from suffering by knowing that they have the option.