The Senate is debating allowing the territories to make laws about voluntary euthanasia after a rare move from Labor to give up a debating spot to a coalition senator.
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Northern Territory Senator Sam McMahon has moved a bill to overturn the legislation passed by the Howard government in 1997 which overrode territory laws.
ACT Senator Katy Gallagher said the prohibition was "a discriminatory regime ... (and) fundamentally unfair".
The former ACT chief minister said Labor was happy to forego a timeslot to move private bills and give Senator McMahon the floor for such an important issue.
"It is outrageous that it has remained on the statute book for a quarter century," Senator Gallagher told the Senate on Monday.
Senator McMahon's bill only covers the NT but it is understood Labor will move amendments to include the ACT.
"We are capable of making our own laws and governing our own people," Senator McMahon told parliament.
"How can you expect someone who lives in Melbourne, Sydney or Canberra to know what is best for those people?"
Time constraints may limit the possibility of Labor moving its amendments, let alone the bill being voted on.
The government previously snubbed the outgoing senator to move debate on her legislation, choosing to instead bring on for debate a One Nation proposal to overturn vaccine mandates.
Australian Associated Press
