NT euthanasia laws back on the table

THE Territory will need to find a lower house champion to support a Senate-led push to overturn a 20-year-old law stopping territories from enacting their own voluntary euthanasia legislation

Labor MP Luke Gosling is working on his own private members bill to overturn the “Andrews Bill”. Picture: Gary Ramage

THE Territory will need to find a lower house champion to support a Senate-led push to overturn a 20-year-old law stopping territories from enacting their own voluntary euthanasia legislation.

A motion passed by the Senate on Wednesday means the Restoring Territory Rights (Assisted Suicide Legislation) Bill 2015 will now be debated during the August sittings.

For it to be debated in the House of Representatives, it will need a lower house MP to support it as a private member’s bill.

The NT’s Labor MPs in the lower house, Warren Snowdon and Luke Gosling, said they had not been briefed on Liberal Democrat Senator David Leyonhjelm’s motion and could not comment on its detail.

Mr Gosling is working on his own private members bill to overturn the “Andrews Bill”, named after conservative federal Liberal backbencher Kevin Andrews, who successfully led the push in 1997 against the Northern Territory’s Rights of the Terminally Ill Act.

Senator Leyonhjelm, who has been trying to get the approval of the Senate to debate the Bill for three years, said he had not sought a sponsor in the lower house but did not envisage a problem finding one.

“My bill has been on the Notice Paper since 2015. I have written and spoken about it multiple times in the media,” he said.

Liberal Democratic Party Senator David Leyonhjelm has been trying to get the approval of the Senate to debate has ‘Restoring Territory Rights’ Bill for three year. Picture: Mick Tsikas

“I have discussed my bill with several members in conversation but haven’t sought to specifically brief any.

“However, the issue is well understood by virtually all federal politicians.”

Senator Leyonhjelm has struck a deal with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to allow a free vote on the issue.

In supporting the move, Chief Minister Michael Gunner said Territorians deserve the right to legislate for themselves.

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“Restoring Territory rights would be great way to celebrate the 40th anniversary of self-government this coming Territory Day,” he said.

“I wrote to the Prime Minister last year urging him to amend the Self-Government Act to allow the Northern Territory the right to legislate on voluntary euthanasia.

“Whether you support euthanasia or assisted dying or not, it should be Territorians’ choice about whether we have that legislation.”

Mr Gosling said the Bill was a matter for the Senate.

“Senator Leyonhjelm has not approached me with regard to his proposed bill,” he said.

“If it successfully passes through the Upper House, I look forward to giving it consideration with my colleagues.

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“In the meantime, I am currently working on a private member’s bill with my colleagues in the House of Representatives regarding state’s rights for the Northern Territory.”

Former Chief Minister Marshall Perron, who crafted the original euthanasia laws, urged federal MPs to support the push to overturn the laws.