DARWIN - 26 October 2021

Federal Labor supports Territory rights and the repealing of the Andrews Bill.

The Euthanasia Laws Act passed by the Howard Government were an unacceptable impingement on the ability of the Northern Territory Parliament to make laws for its people.

Territorians deserve equal democratic rights to their fellow Australians.

Today, Federal Labor Caucus agreed it will not be supporting Senator Sam McMahon’s Territory Rights Bill, due to flawed extra elements in the Bill.

Labor supports Territory rights, but not flawed legislation.

Labor did decide that Senator McMahon’s Bill could be supported if it is amended and does not include two unnecessary and unjustified provisions.

Those relate to limiting the power of the NT Legislative Assembly to acquire property otherwise than on just terms, and a section relating to the hearing and determining of employment disputes. These are issues for separate debate and should not be conflated with a repeal of the Andrews Bill.

It would also need to include the same consideration for the ACT. We hope that this can occur during the November sittings.

Should this not happen, Federal Labor is committed to the introduction of legislation to address the question of the Territories having the right to legislate on the issue of voluntary assisted dying as a priority if successful at the forthcoming Federal election.

Whether or not you support euthanasia – and we recognise the complexity and sensitivity of the arguments for and against – it is absurd that the NT and the ACT cannot make laws for their own jurisdictions, and that Northern Territory legislation can be overridden at the whim of the Federal Government.

We are fighting for the 700,000 or so residents of the NT and ACT to have the same rights as millions of Australians living in the states to decide for themselves whether or not to legislate voluntary assisted dying.

Under this Bill, Territorians would be short-changed.