Janet Mills

Janet Mills (died 2 January 1997, aged 52) was a South Australian woman who, for the last three years of her life, suffered from incurable skin cancer. She was the second person of four to make use of the Northern Territory's pioneering voluntary euthanasia laws before they were overturned.

Diagnosed with terminal mycosis fungoides, in late September 1992 Mills traveled from her home in Adelaide, South Australia, to make use of the Northern Territory's Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995 (Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee, 1997). However, she had some difficulty in finding medical professionals who would assist her. Although frail, she held a press conference at the Darwin home of Judy Dent in an attempt to find the third specialist needed to certify her request for voluntary euthanasia (Byrne, 2017). It was three weeks before a willing specialist came forward. In a letter dated the day before she died, Mills said she had "no idea it would be such a hard task" to use the law (Cordner & Ettershank, 1997). 

Mills died by self-administered computerised lethal injection in a rented Darwin apartment on the 2nd of January, 1997. Her husband and youngest son were with her, with Dr. Philip Nitschke one of the medical representatives (Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee, 1997). 

Janet Mills was married to Dave Mills, of Naracoote. He said in a written statement read by Judy Dent:

"I would like the Senate to know that my family totally supports the Northern Territory's Rights of the Terminally Ill Act and hopes you will vote against the Kevin Andrews bill."  (Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee, 1997. p. 148)

Janet Mills herself, in a letter dated January 1, the day before her death, wrote:

"I believe that euthanasia is the greatest thing for people who are sick with no chance of getting better... I am pleased that the Northern Territory has such a law, even though it was so difficult for me to use, as at least now I can legally and honestly end my life. I hope this law survives and is able to help others like me, who have found the suffering has become too great. It should not be overturned by the politicians in Canberra, but given a chance to be made to work in the way it was intended." (Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee, 1997. p. 149).

Byrne, E. (2017, October 20). Euthanasia debate rages on 21 years after country's first assisted dying case. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-20/euthanasia-decision-victoria-nt-debate/9069106

Cordner, S., & Ettershank, K. (1997) Review for Australia's Euthanasia Laws. Lancet 349(9045). 112. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(05)60907-5

Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee (1997). Consideration of Legislation Referred to the Committee: Euthanasia Laws Bill 1996. The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. https://parliament.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/367962/euthanasia97.pdf