Labor’s Leigh in euthanasia push

Labor frontbencher Andrew Leigh will today attempt to table his own private-member’s bill that would allow the ACT and NT to legalise euthanasia.

Labor frontbencher Andrew Leigh will ask the government to allow a debate on a euthanasia bill.

Labor frontbencher Andrew Leigh will today attempt to table his own private-member’s bill that would allow the ACT and Northern Territory to legalise euthanasia.

The ACT MP will ask the government to allow a debate on the bill, which is co-sponsored by Luke Gosling, who is opposed to euthanasia, as the Senate debates a similar bill sponsored by crossbencher David Leyonhjelm.

Caucus this morning voted in favour of a conscience vote on both Mr Leigh’s and Senator Leyonhjelm’s bills.

Mr Leigh said the bill was about territory rights rather than euthanasia, although it would prevent the federal government from blocking assisted suicide laws in the ACT and Northern Territory.

“I think it is time to act,” Mr Leigh told The Australian. “Territorians were rallying outside parliament today to have their parliaments be treated the same way as state parliaments on this issue..

“The territory parliaments are both now much more mature than they were in 1997. These parliaments have now clearly shown themselves to be able to legislate on a range of matters, they ought to be free to legislate on this as well.”

If Malcolm Turnbull refuses to bring Mr Leigh’s bill to a debate, the ACT MP will have to get the support from a majority of MPs to suspend standing orders and bring on the debate.

“I hope the government will do the right thing and bring it on for debate, Territorians deserve the rights of their parliament to legislate on this,” he said.

He will put the bill on the notice paper today and hopes for a debate next week.

Mr Leigh said he saw no conflict between his bill and the one being pushed by Senator Leyonhjelm.

“It is just a matter of getting the right thing done,” he said.