By Hannah Martin.

Assisted dying and euthanasia will be legal in New Zealand next year, with the public voting through the End of Life Choice Act. The Electoral Commission released the preliminary results of the End of Life Choice Act referendum on Friday afternoon.

A 50 per cent majority was needed for the law to come into force – allowing terminally ill adults with fewer than six months to live to request assisted dying.

The preliminary figures show 65.2 per cent voted in favour of the act as opposed to 33.8 per cent who voted to maintain the status quo.

One per cent – 25,073 – of the votes were “informal”, or invalid votes.

More than 2.4 million New Zealanders voted in the referendum – of those, 1.57 million voted yes.

The End of Life Choice Act will come into effect in November 2021, allowing for safeguards and processes outlined in the Act to be established.

From next year, people who meet the criteria will have the option of legally asking for medical assistance to end their lives.

The End of Life Choice Act referendum was historic – the first time legislation around assisted dying has been put to public vote in New Zealand.

However, it is not the first time Parliament has attempted to legislate assisted dying or euthanasia in New Zealand, with three failed attempts since 1995.

This act, led by ACT Party leader David Seymour, was entered into a ballot in 2015 and upon being drawn, passed three parliamentary readings to get to this stage.

Yes for Compassion executive director Dr Jessica Young said it was “delighted New Zealand came together and voted for choice for their loved ones and for themselves”.

Young said New Zealand was admired worldwide as a liberal democracy, and for being the first to give women the vote.

“Today’s historic victory continues that tradition, providing the choice of an assisted death to terminally ill Kiwis who want and need it – saving a great deal of unnecessary suffering for individuals and their loved ones.”

Young also said she wanted to remember and acknowledge the decades of work that paved the way for the End of Life Choice Act becoming law, including by campaigners who have not lived to see this day.

Stuart Armstrong, who has terminal cancer, was among those supporting the outcome at Parliament on Friday afternoon.

The 60-year-old had flown to Wellington from Lincoln, outside of Christchurch, to mark the occasion, and intended on having a “big knees up” to celebrate.

“It is such a fantastic day,” he told Stuff.

“Kiwis had a chance to have their say, and have said it in resounding fashion.”

Armstrong, who has campaigned for the act and stated he one day wants to die in a matter he sees fit, said he was “incredibly grateful” for those who had worked to get this result.

“I am very, very proud.”

The ACT Party said it was confident it was a “resounding victory” – one that would make New Zealand “a more compassionate and humane society”.

“Thousands of New Zealanders who might have suffered excruciating deaths will have choice, dignity, control, and autonomy over their own bodies, protected by the rule of law,” Seymour said in a statement.

Meanwhile, conservative lobby group Family First has called the result a “sad and dangerous day for the vulnerable”.

“It is one thing to say yes to a nice-sounding phrase around having ‘choice’, but assisted suicide is not a simple yes no answer,” national director Bob McCoskrie said.

He was concerned some New Zealanders may come to feel euthanasia would be the “right thing to do”.

The Salvation Army has also expressed “serious concern” over the result.

Mark Campbell, territory commander for the Salvation Army in New Zealand, said it believed many New Zealanders are “unaware of the lack of safeguards contained within the End of Life Choice Act”.

He said vulnerable people, such as the elderly and those struggling with mental illness, would be “especially at risk from this law”.

The Royal New Zealand College of GPs released a statement saying it was “cautious” about the outcome, which would see some doctors assisting a patient to end their life in 12 months’ time.

College president Dr Samantha Murton said while the results gave clear guidance about what options people want at the end of their lives, it “doesn't make it any less complex for medical professionals”.

She highlighted rural communities in particular, where some doctors are the only medical care for some distance.

"Our membership is diverse and will run the gamut on personal opinions about euthanasia. However, professionally we are steadfast; we will work within the law and continue to do what is best for our patients.”