Commonwealth A-G Michaelia Cash says Canberra has ‘no plans’ to change NT’s euthanasia laws
NT Senator Sam McMahon said she’s confident laws to give the NT independence around voluntary assisted dying will pass the Senate, despite a senior colleague rejecting any plans to legislate it.
Northern Territory
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THE CLP Senator spearheading the latest push to allow the Northern Territory to legislate around voluntary assisted dying has said she’s “reasonably confident” it will get supported, after it passed a crucial hurdle in federal parliament.
That’s despite Federal Attorney-General Michaelia Cash sending a letter to her Territory counterpart claiming “the government has no plans to introduce legislation to repeal the Euthanasia Laws Act 1977”.
The Northern Territory was the first jurisdiction in the world to legalise voluntary euthanasia in 1995, before territories lost the right to legislate around the issue by the Commonwealth.
NT Senator Sam McMahon has this year introduced legislation into the federal Senate, which would overturn Canberra’s ban on the NT legislating the issue.
In a major sign the bill will be voted on by Senators later this year, the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee has published a report recommending the bill be considered in parliament.
It followed 88 submissions to the committee from various stakeholders.
The bill, introduced by Senator McMahon, would amend the NT (Self-Government) Act and repeal the Euthanasia Laws Act, including from Dying with Dignity NSW, the Right to Life Association and the Australian Christian Lobby.
A number of organisations also expressed concern about euthanasia’s impact on Indigenous Australians.
After hearing views, the report made a single recommendation that “the Senate takes note of this report”.
Senator McMahon, who has been pushing for politicians to support the changes, said she is “reasonably confident” it would pass the Senate.
“My belief is if (a conscience vote) happens, that we will have far more supporting it than either abstaining or voting no,” Senator McMahon said.
It comes as the Territory pushed back on federal Attorney-General claiming the government wouldn’t introduce legislation on the issue.
“The Government believes that people should have access to quality palliative care and relief from pain and suffering,” Senator Cash said.
The NT’s Attorney-General Selena Uibo responded, saying the correspondence “shows contempt towards the issues reflected by citizens across Australia”.
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