Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com
New Zealand’s assisted‑dying system is facing its most intense scrutiny since the End of Life Choice Act came into force, with new figures showing 486 Kiwis were euthanised or died by assisted suicide in the past year — and political pressure mounting to expand access even further.
The Ministry of Health’s latest Registrar Assisted Dying Annual Report reveals that assisted deaths now account for 1.29% of all deaths in New Zealand, a sharp rise that has alarmed palliative care providers and pro‑life advocates. Applications have surged 44% over three years, climbing from 807 in 2022/23 to 1,164 in 2025/26.
Voice For Life says the numbers show a system “accelerating faster than the public realises,” while the ACT Party argues the law is still too restrictive. ACT MP Todd Stephenson’s Assisted Dying Amendment Bill seeks to widen eligibility and force all healthcare providers — including hospices — to allow euthanasia on site, removing conscientious objection protections that were promised when the law passed.
Critics say the Bill would fundamentally reshape the system, allowing access for anyone with an illness that will eventually lead to death, rather than those with a six‑month terminal prognosis. They warn this would open the door to euthanasia for chronic conditions, disabilities, and long‑term illnesses.
Concerns have also emerged about oversight. Five complaints were lodged last year, including a counsellor illegally suggesting euthanasia to a patient, a doctor failing to complete mandatory reporting, and a case where a patient’s competency was questioned. Meanwhile, the number of practitioners willing to participate continues to fall — dropping from 148 to 121 — even as caseloads rise 81%.
Psychiatrist availability has collapsed from 13 nationwide to just three, leaving large regions with no specialist oversight for competency assessments.
Voice For Life says the data shows a system under strain, with inadequate palliative care funding and shrinking clinical safeguards. They argue that one in five people who chose euthanasia last year had no palliative care, and that proper support often leads patients to withdraw their euthanasia applications.
“True dignity is care until natural death,” says Voice For Life president Lydia Posthuma. “Not death on demand.”
The debate is far from local. France has just passed legislation allowing assisted dying in limited circumstances, signalling a global shift — and raising questions about how far New Zealand may go next.
