However,it is likely to take 18 months before terminally ill people can access assisted dying in NSW – which may be too late for O’Sullivan,who has already lived longer with ovarian cancer than expected.
The academic,who was diagnosed with the deadly cancer in August 2020,has spent her final months advocating for the laws,which independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich introduced to parliament late last year.
“Even if I can never use the laws,it matters to me that they exist and I know that they will be a comfort to other people who are in a similar situation to me,” O’Sullivan,48,said.
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“I’m not personally convinced that I would necessarily use them because I am hoping that my suffering will not be so great at the end of my life and I am hoping to use palliative care services but it will be a comfort to me to know voluntary assisted dying exists and is lawful in NSW.“
The bill made Australian parliamentary history by having more co-sponsors than any other piece of legislation,with 28 MPs from across the political divide backing the new laws.
Greenwich,who was also responsible for decriminalising abortion in NSW this term,described the passing of the bill as a “day when compassion has won”.