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ARTICLE · 21 JUNE 2023

Is suicide illegal in Australia?

Committing suicide or attempting to do so is no longer an offence. Assisting or counselling someone else to commit suicide is an offence.

AustraliaCriminal Law

Authorities from Australia, Britain, the US, Italy, New Zealand, and Canada are investigating a Canadian chef who is accused of selling ‘suicide kits' to at risk people worldwide, with the venture linked to numerous deaths.

57-year-old Kenneth Law has been accused of selling a poisonous substance, which is commonly used in food preparation in small quantities, to suicidal people.

It is alleged that he has done this over a two-year period, with his conduct now subject to a multi-agency probe.

In Australia, the Federal Police, Border Force, and state police have reported that at least 10 packages containing the substance have been sent to Australians, leading to deaths.

Law was arrested and charged by Canadian Police on 2 May 2023 with two counts of counselling or aiding suicide, following two deaths that occurred in Ontario.

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