KATIE WOOLF, HOST: We're going to get straight into it because we know that the Member for Solomon, Luke Gosling, is vowing to restore the Territory's right to legalise euthanasia as soon as possible when Parliament resumes later this month. As most people will recall, the Northern Territory became the first jurisdiction in the world to legalise voluntary assisted dying back in 1995. But the legislation was later vetoed by the Federal Coalition Government in 1997. Now joining me on the line to talk more about this is the Member for Solomon Luke Gosling. And good morning to you, Luke.
LUKE GOSLING, MEMBER FOR SOLOMON: Morning, Katie.
WOOLF: Luke, there is a lot going on. This new bill, it does come after concerted previous efforts to overturn former Liberal MP Kevin Andrews’s veto. What are you planning on doing this time around?
GOSLING: It's another private member's bill, Katie. When I was elected in 2016, I took a private member's bill to the Parliament. But the Coalition didn't bring that on. I did the same thing following the 2019 election. But again, the Coalition didn't allow the bill to be debated and voted on. Now of course we're in government. I'm putting up a private member's bill with ACT colleague Alicia Payne with the express purpose of restoring the rights of Territorians to have our own say over things that affect us.
WOOLF: Luke, what makes this time different?
GOSLING: I think what we saw last in the last Parliament is a shift in thinking about the rights of Territorians and the fact that this is a bill about the rights of Territorians, and any decisions about voluntary assisted dying will be made by the Territory Legislative Assembly. So I made a strong case to my colleagues that we don't need assistance in the territories in how to think and in how to form our own views on legislation. So don't make that decision for us, give us the same rights as every other Australian to make these decisions. And then of course if we are successful in this private member's bill – and I believe we will be – then obviously it's up to the ACT and NT legislative assemblies whether they take that forward.
WOOLF: Luke, it does sound as though you feel more confident, I think, than probably what you have in previous attempts at overturning this previous decision. What broader impacts will this have?
GOSLING: I don't think there'll be any broader impacts other than Territorians have their rights restored, which is important in and of itself. Australians living in the states aren't gifted with any special ability to make decisions, and they shouldn't be making decisions for us when it's the jurisdiction of state or territory to do so. But what it’ll mean, Katie, is that we will have the right to have a debate and all of those broader implications will be debated and some legislation will be derived through the normal democratic process. And if it goes that far, then there will be a debate and a vote. And I should make the point, Katie, that we won't be bringing back the 1995 legislation that Marshall Perron drafted and had passed through the NT system. It will be fresh legislation as a result of the consultation that would occur and I’m really heartened by Chief Minister Natasha Fyles’s comments that Territorians are best placed to make these decisions.
WOOLF: Luke, when is all of this going to happen?
GOSLING: As soon as possible, Katie. I've got a private member's bill paperwork together. When we sit for the first time in Federal Parliament at the end of this month, I will be sworn in, we’ll be meeting as the Labor Caucus and this is one of the very first things on the agenda. The Prime Minister's committed to that, which we're thankful for. He'll be visiting the Territory again before too long, and looking forward to righting this wrong that was done in the past so that at least we have, if the NT Legislative Assembly decides to do so, the ability to debate these laws.
WOOLF: Well, Luke Gosling, I think it's going to be incredibly interesting to see whether this indeed go forward or not. I know there has been several attempts at allowing this conscience vote to happen, so please keep us up to date and let us know how things progress.
GOSLING: I will do, Katie. The other thing is that Kevin Andrews, after a long career, is no longer in the Federal Parliament, and I'm sure he did have some influence over these beliefs. But I am heartened that they see that Territorians are not second-class citizens and we should have the same rights as every other Australian. Thanks very much.
WOOLF: Thank you. We appreciate it. That is Luke Gosling there, the member for Solomon.
ENDS
