Debate begins on territory rights bill in the Senate

A bill to send a controversial law to the scrap heap has kicked off in the Senate amid fears it could be knocked back once again.

Debate to dump an archaic law banning the Northern Territory and the ACT from legislating on controversial issues including euthanasia has reached the Senate.

The private members bill, introduced by Canberra MP Alicia Payne and Solomon MP Luke Gosling, will repeal legislation brought on by Kevin Andrews in 1997.

Nationals deputy leader Perin Davey told the chamber the current legislation wasn’t fair, throwing her support behind the bill.

“I don't think it is fair that the territories always have this hanging over their heads that if we don’t like their laws, we’ll come into this place and work against them,” she said.

Meanwhile, Liberal senator Simon Birmingham said it was his view the Kevin Andrews law should never have been passed.

ACT Senators David Pocock and Katy Gallagher chat during debate. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“It was always anachronistic for the Commonwealth to have decided that the one limitation on the territories compared with the states would be on the questions of voluntary euthanasia, or voluntary assisted dying,” he said.

Parliament last voted on the issue in 2019, when it was defeated by two votes.

The bill comfortably passed the lower house 99 votes to 37 last month but a final vote is not expected this sitting fortnight.

Finance Minister, and ACT Senator, Katy Gallagher said the current bill was “the best chance to get this done”.

“You're not asking for too much. You’re just asking for the same rights as your neighbours across the border in Queanbeyan,” she said.

Lobbying behind the scenes is ongoing but advocates for the bill are not yet certain they have the numbers to see it become law.

Labor senator Deb O'Neil spoke about her faith. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

A number of Labor senators have indicated they will not vote for the legislation, meaning its passage could rely on the Coalition.

Labor’s Deborah O’Neil, who voted against the push in 2019, spoke of her Catholic faith, saying she wanted to “make a claim for the importance of a faith perspective in this debate”.

Tasmanian senators Jacqui Lambie and Tammy Tyrrell have previously said they would back the push for Territory rights.

The Greens are also expected to support the bill, as will David Pocock who campaigned heavily on the issue.

“Senators are only being asked to allow the territories to have the debate for themselves,” he told the Senate on Monday.

Originally published as Debate begins on territory rights bill in the Senate