NT and ACT ‘left behind’ on euthanasia laws as feds refuse to overturn ban made in 1997

Australia’s territories are being “left behind” on voluntary assisted dying laws even as two more states look set to legalise euthanasia within months, with the Commonwealth refusing to overturn controversial laws.

AUSTRALIA’S territories are being “left behind” on voluntary assisted dying legislation even as two more states look set to legalise euthanasia within months, with the federal government refusing to overturn controversial laws.

Liberal-governed Tasmania is set to become the third Australian state to legalise voluntary assisted dying after 17 of the island’s 25 member lower house on Friday voted to push reform to the next stage, with a final vote set for early next year.

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Fight for NT assisted dying laws continues

Territory leaders call for right to make euthanasia laws

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, during the state’s recent election campaign, promised to introduce laws by February 2021. Euthanasia is legal in Victoria and Western Australia.

But the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are barred from moving forward after the federal government, in response to the NT’s legalisation of euthanasia, banned them from doing so in 1997.

ACT Human Rights Minister Tara Cheyne believes the “real momentum” across the states could help the Territories rally for change through people power.

“It is untenable for this law to persist in the ACT and the NT,” she said.

“The more people who are speaking up when there is that groundswell of support, it becomes very hard to ignore.”

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner.

ACT Human Rights Minister Tara Cheyne. Picture: taracheyne.com.au

An ACT-led petition, which also calls on people to get in touch with their federal representatives, has garnered close to 3000 supporters.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner confirmed the NT government was firm on its push for the Commonwealth to overturn its laws and he had written multiple letters to the Prime Minister to make it so over the years.

But a spokesman for Attorney-General Christian Porter reiterated that the government had “no plans” to repeal the ban and the “situation has not changed”.

When asked the same question in September, the Attorney-General’s office said the “Government’s immediate focus is quite rightly on keeping Australians safe from COVID-19 and regrowing our economy and the jobs that have been lost in the last six months”.

Meanwhile on Saturday Mr Porter announced proposed laws that would give merged unions a vote under the Fair Work Act to sever ties with each other.