Restoring Territory Rights Bill will be debated again in September

A BILL to restore Territory rights has been put back on the table, with Senate sittings on September 10 expected to readdress the Restoring Territory Rights Bill

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, and Luke Gosling, speak to the media at a press conference on The Esplanade.

A BILL to restore Territory rights has been put back on the table, with Senate sittings on September 10 expected to readdress the Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2018 co-sponsored by Member for Solomon Luke Gosling and ACT MP Andrew Leigh.

Mr Gosling told the NT News last night that the divisive topic would be debated in the House during the next sittings.

“The Bill will not reinstate euthanasia in the Northern Territory, however, it will correct a wrong in our laws which openly discriminates against Territorians,” he said.

“I have placed on the record my own reservations about euthanasia.

“But this Bill isn’t about what I think or what the Prime Minister thinks, it’s about the rights of Territorians and listening to what they have to say.”

The legislation is aimed at repealing Liberal MP Kevin Andrews’ successful 1997 private Bill banning territories from ruling on voluntary euthanasia.

Mr Gosling said while last night’s announcement showed that his lobbying was working, it was still up to the Federal Government to decide if it would go to a vote.

“With the current instability in the Federal Government it has been a win to get this debate but time will tell if the Federal Government will allow it to a vote,” he said.

“We still have some work to do to convince the majority of Federal parliamentarians that their personal views on issues are not superior to the views of Territorians on issues that affect their rights.”