Senator Sam McMahon to introduce amendments to allow euthanasia laws to be considered
For almost 25 years, the Territory has been barred from even considering legalising euthanasia – that could be about to change.
Northern Territory
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REFORMS which would see the Territory given the freedom to determine whether it can legalise voluntary euthanasia has taken a massive step forward.
CLP Senator Sam McMahon on Wednesday introduced legislation to parliament which would repeal a 1997 law barring both the NT and ACT from even considering voluntary euthanasia legalisation.
States have the right to pass laws on the matter, with Western Australia and Victoria legalising voluntary euthanasia in recent years.
Euthanasia was legal between 1995 and 1997, until Canberra passed legislation removing that right from the NT.
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In a memorandum posted on the Australian Parliament House website, Senator McMahon said the legislation would confer power around voluntary assisted dying back to the NT Legislative Assembly.
“By amending the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act 1978, this bill will remove ...laws that limit the ability of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly to legislate for voluntary assisted dying if the Legislative Assembly chooses to do so,” the memo said.
“The purpose of the Ensuring Northern Territory Rights Bill 2021 is to reduce the level of Commonwealth interference with laws of the Northern Territory."
“In doing so, Commonwealth involvement with laws of the Northern Territory will be more aligned to the interaction of the Commonwealth with laws of Australian states.”
Senator McMahon’s private members bill would also allow the NT Legislative Assembly to govern laws around “acquisition of property on just terms” and employment disputes.
EARLIER: SENATOR Sam McMahon will introduce a Bill to overhaul the Territory’s laws around self-determination, allowing the Northern Territory to legislate around the issue of voluntary euthanasia.
The private Senator’s bill will be introduced this afternoon.
It would overturn a legacy put in place in 1997, when the Territory was barred by Canberra from being able to legislate around the issue.
That in turn followed the Rights of the Terminally Ill legislation of 1996.
Senator McMahon has previously criticised the commonwealth for taking away the right for Territorians to make their own laws.
“At the time when the Commonwealth parliament acted this way the Northern Territory was leading the nation in debating the rights of terminally ill individuals,” she said in June.
“Now, in 2021 the Northern Territory is trailing the rest of Australia who have either adopted such laws or are in the process of debating such laws.”
Originally published as Senator Sam McMahon to introduce amendments to allow euthanasia laws to be considered
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