Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP joined the Grand Mufti of Australia and Jewish, Presbyterian and Baptist leaders on Friday in voicing their opposition to the reform at a parliamentary inquiry, with regard to the voluntary assisted dying bill.

Archbishop Fisher told the inquiry: "The views of the Church should be heeded not just out of respect for religion, but because it is one of the largest providers of health care, aged care and palliative care in the world". The law would be a “radical departure from one of the foundational principles of our society”, confirming in law that “some people are regarded as better off dead” - Archbishop said.

Grand Mufti Ibrahim Abu Mohamed told MPs through an interpreter that life was a gift given by God and that only God could withdraw it.The committee is racing to consider the bill and report back to the Legislative Council before Parliament resumes next year, with one further hearing scheduled this week.

The upper house committee is considering a draft law that would make NSW the last Australian state to allow the terminally ill to choose to end their lives. Parliament’s lower house passed the bill which allows a person with less than six months to live, to end their lives with the sign-off of two doctors.