Dying with Dignity NSW renews voluntary assisted dying law reform campaign

That's the message from Dying with Dignity advocate Janet Cohen.

Dying with Dignity has launched a petition to kickstart a renewed campaign to achieve voluntary assisted dying law reform in NSW.

Janet said there was a groundswell of support across Australia.

"I'm just encouraging people to jump on that wave," she said. "Now is the time - let's use the momentum to get this across the line in NSW."

Janet has campaigned for voluntary assisted dying law reform since 2016.

The former manager of Sea Acres Rainforest Centre on the the NSW mid-north coast was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013 and since 2015 has lived with a terminal lung cancer diagnosis.

Fortunate to have had access to new life extending treatments, Janet is currently well.

Momentum is growing for voluntary assisted dying law reform.

Independent Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich will begin the process of drafting legislation and getting the issue of voluntary assisted dying back on the NSW parliamentary agenda.

The petition, which can be found on the Dying with Dignity NSW website, calls on members of the NSW Parliament to work together to pass voluntary assisted dying laws in 2021.

Janet said the law reform was overdue in NSW.

"They [politicians] won't want to be on the wrong side of history on this one because it will cost seats," she said.

"It's just the compassionate thing to do. It offers choice to people who are terminally ill."

Thousands of people have already signed the petition.

Dying with Dignity NSW president Penny Hackett said the people of NSW should not be made to wait until the next term of parliament for this much-needed law reform to be addressed.

Voluntary assisted dying laws have been passed in Victoria and Western Australia and are on the way in Tasmania, South Australia and Queensland.