Territory Government will not confirm position on voluntary assisted dying

The Territory Government has the opportunity to reinstate voluntary assisted dying, but has not yet taken a firm position on the topic. We reveal what it will take to make progress.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles Territorians knew what was best for the NT, not Canberra politicians. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

The Territory Government will not commit to legislating voluntary assisted dying before the 2024 election.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the topic would require extensive community consultation before it was put to parliament.

Ms Fyles said the Restoring Territory Rights Bill, which passed through the federal senate in Canberra last Thursday night, would allow Territorians to have important conversations previously blocked by federal policy.

“Territorians know what is best for the Northern Territory - not politicians in Canberra,” she said.

“This bill restores Territorian’s rights to make decisions that better their lives and our community.”

Member for Araluen Robyn Lambley said she was not in favour of voluntary assisted dying. Picture: Floss Adams.

Independent Araluen MLA Robyn Lambley said she was no fan of voluntary assisted dying.

“I don’t think we’ll see any movement around this for at least a couple of years,” Ms Lambley said.

“The government will not risk any embarrassment over failing to get something like this through given that every other jurisdiction in Australia have got it now, I think, or planned.”

Ms Lambley said anyone could put a Private Member’s Bill forward for the reintroduction of euthanasia in the Northern Territory but she would not be the one to do it and she “couldn’t see it coming from the CLP”.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said voluntary assisted dying was a serious issue and any legislation had to be considered and widely consulted on.

“The CLP has always believed the Territory should be able to govern in its own right and make laws for the Territory and Territorians,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“We don’t want anyone in Canberra telling us what we can or cannot do.

Country Liberal Party Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro says euthanasia is a serious issue and any legislation has to be considered and widely consulted on. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

“We’ve seen the Fyles Labor government ramming through some massive legislative changes with minimal to no public consultation.

“We don’t want to see that repeated.”

Charles Darwin University Associate Professor Alan Berman said the timing for any new legislation, including voluntary assisted dying, would depend on “how much of a priority item it is for the government”.

“Presumably, they’d do some consultations with the community and then the cabinet would consider it, and then, presumably, if they felt it was an important issue Northern Territorians felt very strongly about, they would go ahead and draft legislation and introduce it into parliament,” he said.

Professor Berman said he thought the government would legislate for voluntary assisted dying if there was community support for it.

“They might release a discussion paper and call for submissions from the community and other interested stakeholders,” he said.

“The issue will then be when can they get around to doing it, but I’m sure that it’s on their radar and I’m sure they’ll consider it in due course.

“The important thing now is that we’ve got this ability to legislate, so they can go through the normal legislative processes and consultations at a considered pace.”

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