The government has blocked a crossbench attempt to allow telehealth to be used in voluntary assisted dying care – despite strong support for the measure at last month’s Labor national conference.

Health Minister Mark Butler told parliament the safeguards around telehealth weren’t adequate. But Butler is in an awkward position, having to reverse his stance of only a few years ago.

In 2022, shortly after the election Butler was asked about then attorney-general Mark Dreyfus proposing such a change. Butler said there had already been discussions “and we’re looking at ways in which we can move forward on it”.

The previous year, then in opposition, Butler had attacked the Coalition government for not acting. Butler said in September 2021, “The Morrison government needs to stop sitting on its hands and ensure that the implementation of those state [VAD] laws is not thwarted by the threat of prosecution under Commonwealth communications laws”.

But in government it became apparent to ministers, including Butler and Dreyfus, that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was strongly opposed to any change (although he backs VAD itself). He has said use of telehealth would undermine confidence in VAD.

Within Labor, some sources........

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