52 people have been killed in Victoria, Australia since the implementation of an assisted suicide law only six months ago. Antonia Tully of the SPUC Lives Worth Living Campaign said: "The rapid take-up of assisted suicide in Victoria is truly alarming.  It is sad that people quickly start to see death as the solution to their problems once the law allows them to take their own lives."

The Australian state of Victoria legalised assisted suicide in June 2019.  Victoria’s Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board has confirmed that, during the first six months of operation, 52 Australians have been killed.

43 people self-administered lethal drugs to end their life, whilst nine people were killed by a doctor.

These figures have not accounted for those killed under the law during 2020.

The assisted suicide programme operating in Victoria requires patients to administer to themselves a lethal drug. However, doctors are allowed to give patients a lethal injection in particular circumstances.

Another bill legalising voluntary assisted dying in Western Australia was passed in December 2019 and was dubbed the most "unsafe and dangerous in the world". The law allows people, including very vulnerable people, to self-administer lethal drugs with no supervision. Doctors are allowed to distribute advice to patients on how they can end their life.

 "The new law in Australia is a sharp reminder of what could so easily happen over here."

Mrs Tully said: "Here in the UK, we need to make sure that we don’t make the same mistake. We must oppose every move to legalise assisted suicide. That would be the first tragic step towards creating a culture where sick, disabled or mentally ill people feel their best option in life is to die.

"There is no such thing as a ‘safe’ law on assisted suicide. And we cannot hide behind the idea that it is always a ‘voluntary’ act. Once assisted suicide is legal, disabled, sick and elderly people can easily be made to feel that they ought to choose death.

"SPUC’s commitment to opposing assisted suicide is absolute and total. The tragedy occurring in Australia must not be repeated here."