Labor MPs have tried to goad the Coalition into allowing debate on another bill to restore the territories' rights to make laws on euthanasia, days after another attempt was defeated in the Senate.
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ACT Labor MP Andrew Leigh introduced a private members bill to overturn restrictions on the Northern Territory and ACT legalising euthanasia on Monday, after similar legislation from Liberal Democrats Senator David Leyonhjelm failed by two votes last Wednesday.
Mr Leigh took a swipe at ACT Liberal Senator Zed Seselja, who was the only territory senator to vote against restoring territory rights last week.
He said Senator Seselja and the Canberra Liberals would oppose euthanasia "by any means necessary, even if it means stripping away the rights of the ACT parliament".
"Their approach is a ‘take your bat and ball and go home’ approach, an approach that says if you don't think you're going to win the substantive argument, then you should shut it down," Mr Leigh said.
"Shame, Senator Seselja. Shame for not standing up for your representatives. Shame for not standing up for that assembly in which you served and which you strived to be the leader. Shame for not being there when it counted for territorians - territorians who will judge you and will judge your colleagues at the next territory election."
The bill was co-sponsored by Northern Territory MP Luke Gosling, who said it was "now up to the Prime Minister to show whether he cares about territorians".
"This bill is about having a debate in the house about whether the territories should have the right to be on equal footing with the states," Mr Gosling said.
"So let’s have the debate. Let’s see where the numbers stand. I urge the prime minister and I urge the house to support territorians and bring this bill to a debate.
Mr Gosling said if Mr Turnbull did not allow the bill to be debated, "what does this say about his view of territorians?".
"Does the prime minister view territorians as second-class citizens? What is it about the Turnbull government’s collective life experience that makes him think that they are better placed to make decisions for territorians? Are they somehow morally superior to the people of the Northern Territory or the ACT?
"The question is now for the prime minister - will he let a vote happen in the lower house? Will he let territorians have their rights restored?"
Mr Turnbull's office did not respond to a request for comment.
