Dr Laureen Lawlor-Smith
Family medicine practitioner, Dr Laureen Lawlor-Smith, has been practising medicine in South Australia for 35 years, now working from her clinic in Belair. When voluntary assisted dying commenced in South Australia in January 2023, Laureen and her GP sister, Dr Carolyn Lawlor-Smith, were among the first doctors trained to undertake VAD assessments. Laureen has supported many South Australians through the VAD process.
In October 2024, Laureen published her first podcast, a discussion with a woman whose mother had chosen voluntary assisted dying.
Since then, Laureen has discussed different aspects of VAD with family members, those with a religious view, VAD practitioners and politicians. Laureen's discussions are warm and friendly and bring out a wide range of experiences and perspectives about VAD.
For example, Podcast 16 released in early September 2025, is a discussion with Rev Dr Lynn Arnold, former Premier of South Australia and former opponent of VAD. Lynn Arnold is now an Anglican priest and a Reader in Theology at St Barnabas. He explains that his original opposition was based on his view that there would not be enough protection for vulnerable people. Having supported his cousin through a painful death before VAD was legal, and then his mother who used VAD, Lynn has changed his position. It is an enlightening and thoughtful discussion.
In Podcast 15 Laureen talks with Southern Adelaide Palliative Care Service Senior Staff Specialist Dr Peter Allcroft. Dr Allcroft also Chairs Palliative Care Australia, is Clinical Lead of the state palliative care network and Co Clinical Lead of VAD services in South Australia. Dr Allcroft has a background in respiratory and sleep medicine and had been running the state-wide Motor Neurone Disease clinic for many years at the time VAD legislation was passed in SA. He understood that MND patients may be eligible for VAD and was keen to ensure that patient choice was at the forefront of the introduction of VAD in SA; that it be done safely, with respectful conversations with colleagues. He reports that being a VAD practitioner is the most privileged work he does, reflecting on the peacefulness of patients once they make a decision to use VAD, with a calmness that seems to come from regaining some control over their life.
Podcast 17 is a fascinating and beautiful discussion with former NT Chief Minister Marshall Perron who introduced and shepherded successfully through Parliament the first ever legislation in the world to successfully allow a medically assisted death. It is an enlightening discussion on the thinking behind his strategy for introducing the Bill and countering the opposing arguments - the same arguments which are still being used today. Marshall Perron provides a stunning commentary on what happened after the Bill was passed by the NT and the subsequent attempts to overturn it, the third one being ultimately successful, the Andrews Bill. The principled position of Marshall Perron - announcing his resignation before the final vote to ensure no-one could say afterwards that they only supported the Bill to gain his favour, or to oppose him - and his ongoing commitment to the right to a medically assisted death comes through overwhelmingly throughout the discussion. And Marshall comments at the end that this history has never been put together before. Well worth the listen.
The podcast series Voices from Voluntary Assisted Dying is available here.
