2026 programme
This programme is subject to change.
2026 conference—Imagining the ideal assisted dying service
On 12–13 February 2026, we imagined the ideal assisted dying service in Aotearoa, focusing on access, safety, and equity.
There were thought-provoking presentations and discussions about the current system and how we can shape the future of assisted dying research and practice in Aotearoa New Zealand to deliver a culturally attuned, safe, accessible, and equitable service. International and local keynote speakers delivered presentations on people’s lived experiences, and cutting-edge research.
Sessions
The conference's sessions include:
- Research highlights—showcased the latest research into Aotearoa’s assisted dying system, including outcomes, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
- Regulatory review—a focused discussion on the current legislation, the Ministry of Health’s review recommendations, and improving access and delivery via law reform to enhance the assisted dying system to better meet the needs of all New Zealanders.
- International and local keynotes—engaging keynote sessions by Professors James Downar and Ben White and Dr Tess Moeke-Maxwell featuring prominent voices sharing insights into the broader ethical, societal, and legal dimensions of assisted dying.
- Learning from lived experiences—a session amplifying the voices of individuals and families who have navigated the assisted dying journey, offering a deeply human perspective.
- Māori stream—a dedicated session exploring tikanga Māori perspectives on assisted dying, emphasising culturally appropriate care, mana motuhake, and equity for Māori communities.
- Assisted dying provider panel—engagement with assisted dying providers who share their highlights, challenges, and best practices in delivering assisted dying services.
- Integrating palliative care services with assisted dying best practice model— about the best practices in integrating assisted dying within hospice and palliative care, ensuring compassionate and dignified end-of-life care.
- The Future of Assisted Dying in NZ—panel discussion and presentations on the emerging trends and future possibilities for assisted dying in New Zealand.
Options included in-person, virtual, full and single-day attendance, and student rate. Research participants in the ‘Exploring the early experiences of the assisted dying service in Aotearoa’ project received a 20% discount on tickets.
Registrations—All in-person event registrations closed on 31 January 2026.
For any queries, please contact the organising team—Jessica Young, Aida Dehkhoda, Jeanne Snelling, and Ellan Baker—on Assisted Dying Research at AssistedDyingResearch@vuw.ac.nz.
Networking breakfast
Assisted Dying providers began the conference with meaningful conversations, delicious pastries, and coffee at 9 am on Thursday 12 February 2026 (formal proceedings begin at 10 am). This was a great opportunity to share insights and connect with fellow AD providers in an informal environment. A big thank you to VADANZ for sponsoring this event, be in quick to secure a free ticket.
Peer support session
Te Whatu Ora hosted an in-person peer support and/or hands-on session for AD providers on Friday 13 February 2026. Note—This was only for those health practitioners involved in providing assisted dying.
Conference dinner
We wrapped up on day one in style with a three-course dinner at St John's Bar and Restaurant, 7 pm on 12 February 2026, on the Wellington waterfront. All were welcome.
Accommodation discount
WQ Hotel (formerly Atura Wellington) offered a 15% discount on the best available rates for the dates of the conference.
Speakers
Professor James Downar
James Downar is a Critical Care and Palliative Care physician in Ottawa. He graduated from McGill Medical School and completed residency training in Internal Medicine, Critical Care and Palliative Care at the University of Toronto. He has a Master’s degree in Bioethics from the Joint Centre for Bioethics at the University of Toronto. He is currently Professor and Head of the Division of Palliative Care at the University of Ottawa, where he holds a Clinical Research Chair in Palliative and End of Life Care. He is an adjunct professor at the Australian Centre for Health Law Research at the Queensland University of Technology.
He is the current President of the Canadian Critical Care Society and co-chair of the Pan-Canadian Palliative Care Research Collaborative He has authored more than 160 peer-reviewed publications and was the principal investigator on more than 30 peer-reviewed grants on topics such as medical aid in dying; communication and decision-making for serious illness; palliative care in the critical care setting; grief and bereavement; and the treatment of psychological and existential distress in advanced illness. In 2024, he received the King Charles III Coronation medal for contributions to Palliative Care in Canada, and in 2021 he received the Award of Excellence from the Ontario Medical Association’s Section on Palliative Medicine.
Professor Ben White
Ben White is a Professor of End-of-Life Law and Regulation and an Australian Research Council Future Fellow in the School of Law, Queensland University of Technology. He was a foundation Director of the Australian Centre for Health Law Research and still co-leads its End-of-Life Research Program.
Ben has researched end-of-life law, policy, and practice for over 20 years and has been part of interdisciplinary teams awarded $A65 million in the field of end-of-life decision-making, including from the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council, Commonwealth and State governments, and philanthropic organisations.
Ben’s research currently focuses on voluntary assisted dying (VAD). Current projects include an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship on ‘Optimal Regulation of Voluntary Assisted Dying’, a national study of VAD in practice, and an exploratory study of dementia and VAD. He (with colleagues) developed mandatory training in Victoria, Western Australia, and Queensland for clinicians providing VAD. We are grateful to the Borrin Foundation for funding this keynote speaker.
Dr Tess Moeke-Maxwell
Tess Moeke-Maxwell is a descendant of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki and Ngāti Porou. She is a Senior Research Fellow and co-director of the Te Ārai Palliative Care and End of Life Research Group at the School of Nursing, University of Auckland. Tess leads Kaupapa Māori “lived Indigenous experience” qualitative research on behalf of Te Ārai’s Kāhui Kaumātua advisory group. Improving end-of-life, palliative care and Assisted Dying experiences for Māori whānau (family, including extended family) are her research interests. Currently, she leads the Health Research Council-funded ‘Waerea study’ on Māori whānau experiences using Assisted Dying services. Tess is an advisory member of the National Palliative Care Work Programme for Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand.
In 2022, the Royal Society of NZ awarded Tess and Te Ārai Kāhui the NZ Health Research Council’s Te Tohu Rapuora Medal for research excellence with Māori communities. She was selected as one of New Zealand’s 100 Māori Leaders as part of the Henry Rongomau Bennett Foundation Leadership Strategy based on her contributions to Indigenous end-of-life care research. Tess and her team have produced a website to support Māori whānau caregivers and New Zealand health professionals. https://www.teipuaronui.co.nz.
Featured speakers
- Dr Kristin Good—Registrar (Assisted Dying)
- Dr Jessica Young—sociologist specialising in AD
- Dr Jeanne Snelling—legal scholar
- Dr Aida Dehkhoda—practitioner-researcher.
Māori experiences
In addition to Dr Moeke-Maxwell’s keynote, Associate Professors Te Hurinui Karaka-Clarke and Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll shared their community-based research findings.
Assisted dying provider panel
Drs Katie Ben, Shane Dunphy, and Sheila Hart joined us as panellists.
Integrating palliative care services with the assisted dying best practice model
Drs James Jap, Kynan Bazley and Fiona Bailey will joined us as panellists.
Family panel
Three family members of individuals who used the AD service shared their diverse experiences.
Imagining the future of assisted dying in NZ panel
Dr Kristin Good, Michael Nestmann, Dr James Downar and Dr Tess Moeke-Maxwell joined us panellists.
With more speaker announcements and the programme to follow.
Conference terms and conditions
Payments
All delegate registration invoices need to be paid in full at the time of registration prior to the start of the conference to guarantee attendance. Registrants will not be allowed to attend if their registration invoices are outstanding.
Confirmation policy
Once payment has been received, an email confirmation and a receipted invoice will be sent to all delegates. This will contain all relevant details and information regarding the conference and future communications. Receiving a confirmation email means the registration has been processed, and any cancellation policies will be enforced.
Substitutions and refund policy
Substitute delegates are welcome without penalty, but please advise assisteddyingresearch@vuw.ac.nz of any name change up to 72 hours before the start of the event, for administration purposes. Should substitution not be possible, the refund policy applies.
Before 31 January 2026
100% refund, less any Humanitix fees. Buyers can action a self-service refund or cancellation using the Manage Order button on their Humanitix order confirmation email.
Between 31 January and 9 February 2026
50% refund after any Humanitix fees. Refunds after 31 January may be processed after the conference. Please email assisteddyingresearch@vuw.ac.nz to request this refund.
After 10 February 2026
Regrettably, for cancellations received on or after 10 Feb 2026, no refund can be made.
There will also be no refunds for any booked delegate who does not attend on the day (no show).
If you are registered for the networking event or conference dinner and do not attend and, in addition, fail to notify us by 31 January, no refund will apply. Cancellations must be in writing to the Conference Registration Team at assisteddyingresearch@vuw.ac.nz
Alteration to the programme—cancellation/postponement of the event
- The conference reserves the right to alter to our event programs, venues, and timings.
- In the unlikely event of an event being cancelled, a full registration refund will be made if the cancellation is made at least two weeks prior to the event. Liability will be limited to the amount of the fee paid by the delegate, less any Humanitix fees.
- In the event of another pandemic, and the conference is postponed or is run completely online, the organiser shall not be liable for any expenditure (e.g., travel and accommodation), damage, or loss incurred by the delegate.
- If by re-arrangement or postponement, the event can take place, the booking between the delegate and the organisers shall remain in force and will be subject to the conference refund policy if re-attending is not suitable.
Access requirements
Delegates should advise of any special access requirements at the time of registration.
Data protection
By registering for the conference, you consent to having your details accessed by the conference organising team.
We will only use your email to send you a survey to seek your feedback on the conference.
Permission for material presented
Please ensure you have documented permission to use any images, music, or other content in your abstract and presentation. Do not include any images copied from the internet. Getty Images and other image agencies crawl the internet looking for images that have been copied without the appropriate licenses. You are liable for all copyright infringements that arise from your presentation.
Photography and filming
Unauthorised photography and recording of conference material is not permitted.
Attendees are prohibited from taking photographs or making audio or video recordings of any conference material without prior authorisation. This includes all sessions, presentations, and any other conference-related activities or materials. This policy is in place to protect the intellectual property of presenters and the privacy of all participants.
Attendees may take photographs for personal use and knowledge, provided it does not disrupt the session or infringe on the intellectual property of the presenters. However, these photographs should not be published or shared publicly without prior consent from the conference organisers.
It is the presenter’s responsibility to make it clear if they do not wish photos to be taken for personal use.
Speakers' views
Views expressed by the conference speakers are their own. The conference cannot accept liability for advice given, or views expressed, by any speaker at the event or in any material provided to delegates by our guest speakers.
Wellness guidelines
Please ensure you are healthy and well when attending the conference and remember to practice good hygiene at all times. Please do not attend the conference if you are sick or have any Covid/Influenza symptoms. If you are feeling unwell, please stay home and inform us so that we can facilitate your virtual attendance.
Harassment and inappropriate behaviour
We are committed to ensuring that all participants can engage in a respectful and inclusive environment. Therefore, the conference has adopted a zero-tolerance position in relation to harassment and inappropriate behaviour that demeans, intimidates, or threatens others, be it professional, physical, emotional, or sexual. This includes harassment based on differing opinions regarding assisted dying. All attendees are expected to engage in respectful discourse at all times. Differing views on assisted dying are anticipated, and it is essential that all participants treat one another with courtesy and respect.
We are committed to creating a supportive environment where open dialogue and the exchange of ideas can occur without fear of hostility or discrimination. Attendees should feel safe to express their views and perspectives. Attendees are encouraged to engage constructively, listen actively, and respond thoughtfully to differing opinions. Personal attacks, inflammatory remarks, and derogatory comments will not be tolerated.
Any incidents of harassment or inappropriate behaviour should be reported immediately to conference staff. All reports will be taken seriously and addressed promptly to maintain a respectful and professional atmosphere. Violations of this policy may result in the removal of the offending party from the conference and potential legal action.
Safety rules for service users and families
- Personal information shared during the conference must remain confidential. Participants should refrain from sharing any personal details without consent.
- Psychological and emotional support is available for individuals who may find the discussion distressing or triggering. Please ask for Dr Aida Dehkhoda at the venue or contact her at aida.dehkhoda@vuw.ac.nz or 04 887 3140 for this support.
- Designated quiet areas are available at the venue for those needing a break from the conference environment.
Safety rules for clinicians
- Clinicians must adhere to professional conduct guidelines at all times. This includes respect for colleagues, service users, and their families.
- Maintain strict confidentiality regarding patient information and discussions held within the conference.
- Ensure that all service users and families are fully informed and have consented for any discussions or activities involving their personal information.
- All discussions and activities should be conducted with the highest ethical standards, particularly given the sensitive nature of assisted dying.
- As much as possible, all communications should be clear and free from technical jargon. It’s important that everyone fully understands the information being shared.
- Psychological and emotional support is available for individuals who may find the discussion distressing or triggering. Please ask for Dr Aida Dehkhoda at the venue or contact her at aida.dehkhoda@vuw.ac.nz or 04 887 3140 for this support.
- Designated quiet areas are available at the venue for those needing a break from the conference environment.
Travel and accommodation
If you're booking travel and accommodation to attend an event, it is important that it can be refunded or transferred in the event of postponement or cancellation. The conference will not be held responsible for any costs incurred.