Territory leaders call for right to make euthanasia laws

NT federal politicians and the NT Chief Minister and Opposition leader want the Federal Government to give Territorians the right to make their own laws without interference after Western Australia introduced voluntary assisted dying laws.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner, and Opposition Leader Gary Higgins in 2018 showed bipartisan support for allowing the Territory the right to decide on euthanasia laws. A delegation of Territory politicians last year went to Canberra calling for the right for the NT to make laws without interference from Canberra.

NT politicians have banded together to call for the Federal Government to give Territorians the right to make their own laws without interference after Western Australia introduced voluntary assisted dying laws

It comes after Western Australia introduced voluntary assisted dying laws – a right that has been stripped from the NT and the ACT. In 1995 the NT became the first jurisdiction in Australia to introduce euthanasia laws, but the following year the Commonwealth introduced legislation banning the NT from making any such law.

Currently WA and Victoria are the only states to have introduced euthanasia laws.

Both Chief Minister Michael Gunner and Opposition leader Gary Higgins and the NT four federal members of parliament and senators have called for the NT to have the right to make its own laws.

Mr Gunner said: “It should be up to Territorians to have a say about issues that affect their lives – not Canberra politicians.”

NT politicians including Opposition Leader Gary Higgins, Attorney-General Natasha Fyles and the Speaker Kezia Purick in 2018 went to Canberra calling for the Federal Government to relax laws around the Territory’s ability to self govern.

Mr Higgins said he supported the NT to be able to make its own laws on the issue with endorsement from the community. “We have lobbied hard throughout the years for that right,” Mr Higgins said.

“In late 2018 I was part of a delegation presenting a remonstrance to the Senate about their decision to reject a Bill to repeal the ban on our voluntary euthanasia laws.”

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and Senator Sam McMahon said Territorians deserved to have the same rights as all other Australians.

Member for Solomon Luke Gosling said despite him being opposed to euthanasia, he supported the right for Territorians to have the same rights as people in other states.

“It’s about the fundamental principle of Territorians’ rights to make their own laws on this important topic, rather than politicians in Canberra deciding on behalf of Territorians what they can or cannot do,” Mr Gosling said.