Australia news live: number of Australians missing in Nepal increases to 39; voluntary assisted dying now legal nation-wide

Australia Counts 39 Missing After Nepal Floods; Assisted Dying Rules Now Nation-Wide

Australia Counts 39 Missing After Nepal Floods; Assisted Dying Rules Now Nation-Wide

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has confirmed that the number of Australians missing in the catastrophic Nepal floods has risen overnight from 35 to 39.

“We understand at least 39 Australians are among those reported missing. Australian officials are working urgently to confirm their welfare and provide assistance to those affected,” Wong stated in a statement.

In responding to the devastation along the Nepal‑China border, the government is rapidly mobilising consular and humanitarian support via a $5 million assistance package for affected communities.

A preliminary team of three humanitarian response specialists will be dispatched within the next 48 hours to assist Australian personnel already deployed on the ground.

“The extraordinary scale of this disaster and the remoteness of the affected region mean immense challenges lie ahead for the response and recovery,” Wong added.

VAD Now Legal Nation‑Wide

Legislation permitting voluntary assisted dying has been enacted across all Australian jurisdictions. Following political debate that included a gag clause opposing doctors discussing end‑of‑life options, the Northern Territory parliament passed the measure on a conscience vote late last night, leaving the clause in place.

Although the Northern Territory was the first Australian jurisdiction to legalise voluntary euthanasia in 1995—only to have the laws overturned in 1997—the subsequent repeal restored full legislative authority to the state.

By early 2022 the federal veto was lifted, permitting the Northern Territory to maintain its own assisted dying framework.

Current legislation restricts eligibility to individuals whose doctors predict they will have no more than twelve months to live.

“If the facility says no, that’s it,” argued backbencher Tanzil Rahman during parliamentary debate, noting that elderly patients living in one‑clinic towns may lack adequate communication channels with medical professionals about end‑of‑life choices.

“This cannot be a bill for the rights of the terminally ill if we restrict conversations in these premises,” added opposition leader Selina Uibo.

While the distance gave residents a brief window to evacuate to higher ground, the disaster claimed the lives of at least 360 people and left hundreds still missing.

Locals report bodies having travelled downstream through the river, and families attended memorial services at the Australian Nepalese Multicultural Centre in Diggers Rest.

“Behind every number is a person – a mother, a father, a child, or a close neighbour,” said Secretary Sudhir Shakya of the multicultural centre, emphasising the personal toll beyond the statistics.

Source link