As a former supreme court justice who oversaw trials linked to Melbourne's gangland war, Betty King is no stranger to death.
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From Wednesday the retired judge turns her meticulous eye to every single death that happens under Australia's only euthanasia scheme, as Victoria enacts assisted-dying laws.
"I doubt it'll be any more confronting than dealing with the sort of cases I dealt with in Supreme Court," the head of an independent review board, overseeing the laws, told reporters at Victoria's parliament on Wednesday.
Instead, it will be an exercise in looking at applications that are granted or refused, and whether patients have been blocked from accessing the scheme.
"We will look at all of the material that has been placed before the people, the secretary who makes the decision, and we will review it to ensure it was compliant with the law," Ms King said.
"If there is something that is an impediment or blockage, then we will talk about it, we will report it to the parliament."
And if there is any suspicious activity, it will be reported to the police, coroner or medical review board, she said.
Under the scheme, terminally-ill Victorian adults in intolerable pain and with less than six months to live, or 12 months for neurodegenerative diseases, and who meet 68 safeguards can request their doctor's help to die.
But while the laws are now in action, even if someone starts the process on Wednesday it will take at least 10 days to be completed.
It's been 18 months since parliament narrowly passed the laws during marathon sittings in 2017.
Catholic Health Australia, which is one of the largest health and aged care service providers in the state, says it does not consider the prescription of the lethal medicine a part of end-of-life care.
"Our members will work with patients and residents as they have always done ... and examine their options with them," Catholic Health chief executive Suzanne Greenwood said in a statement of voluntary assisted dying.
"If people in our care wish to access 'VAD' from other providers, our services will not impede them."
She added that the service will release patients and transfer them elsewhere if they choose to access the new laws.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said doctors can conscientiously object to taking part in the scheme and more money is being put into palliative care.
"For the vast majority of Victorians, they will continue to access this world-class palliative care but we know that even the best of palliative care is not sufficient to alleviate the pain and suffering of all individuals," she said.
"This is why some Victorians who are suffering from a terminal illness may decide to choose voluntary assisted dying."
While the laws have a large amount of support, critics remain, and on Tuesday evening about 50 pro-life activists, including children, took their protest to steps of parliament house for a candlelit vigil.
The government anticipates that up to 150 people a year will use the scheme.
Australian Associated Press
