The poll of 1,005 people across the nation, conducted in July for the progressive think tank The Australia Institute, showing 78 per cent overall support for territory rights, 82 per cent from Anglican Australians and 79 per cent from Catholic Australians has been released on Monday ahead of Alicia Payne and Luke Gosling's private members' bill entering the Senate.

Intense lobbying has been underway as proponents seek to repeal the Kevin Andrews private members' bill passed in 1997 to overturn the NT's 1995 world-first voluntary euthanasia regime. There have been several unsuccessful attempts to restore territory rights, but now all other Australian states have voluntary assisted dying laws. Notably, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese supports the latest effort.

During the hour listed for debate, independent ACT Senator David Pocock is expected to tell the upper house that people of the ACT and NT are "second class citizens" to family, friends and neighbours living in the states.

"Nothing separates us from the rest of Australia other than a jagged line on the map. And fewer representatives in this chamber," he is expected to tell the Senate.

"Simply, the ACT and Northern Territory governments and legislative assemblies are expected everyday to make complex, life-changing choices on behalf of their citizens.

"They are no less capable of having a discussion on voluntary assisted dying than every other state."

In excerpts of Senator Pocock's speech seen by The Canberra Times, he will acknowledge people's deeply held convictions as well as personal ethical or faith-based perspectives, but will insist the Senate is "not the chamber to be debating voluntary assisted dying".

"Senators are only being asked to allow the territories to have the debate for themselves," he is expected to say, while also assuring senators that draft voluntary assisted dying legislation does not yet exist in the ACT and NT.

"People living in the territories are not asking for anything more than what everyone else in this country already has. We are asking for equality before the law."

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The Manager of Government Business in the Senate and ACT Senator Katy Gallagher, who will also address the bill on Monday, told The Canberra Times that she was "very optimistic" and the bill was territory rights "best shot" although she said senate numbers are "very tight". A handful of government senators are expected to maintain opposition to the bill, while several opposition senators such as Linda Reynolds have lately switched and now plan to vote for repeal.

The last territory rights Senate vote was narrowly lost 36 votes to 34.

The Australia Institute polling indicates any move to repeal the 25 year old ban would be overwhelmingly welcomed by roughly four in five Australians (Support: 80 per cent Anglican, 79 per cent Catholic, 80 per cent Labor, 73 per cent Coalition and 78 per cent overall), while a similar percentage (78 per cent) of poll respondents said they agreed that voluntary assisted dying should be legal and 10 per cent disagreed.

"Most striking for me is that, despite the Catholic Church's long standing and vocal opposition to voluntary assisted dying, we see Catholics supporting territory rights on this issue as frequently as other Australians," said Bill Browne from The Australia Institute.

"So they haven't been convinced by the Church's position.

"As it turns out, Australians of all faiths are more similar than they are different. And there aren't those large cleavages between different religious groups."

Religious leaders and groups, many of which provide end of life care services, have been lobbying parliamentarians over the bill. Proponents have attempted to steer the debate as one of democratic rights and fairness with the states.

"It perhaps also reflects that it's now the case that every state in Australia has voluntary assisted dying laws legislated," Mr Browne said.

"And it's an issue that's won mainstream support and that most Australians are now seeing inaction and they're getting to observe for themselves."

The Australia Institute poll results are slightly higher than a similar poll taken and published in April 2021, but the increase is within the 3 per cent margin of error.

The Canberra Times has been calling for a repeal of the Andrews bill as part of its Our Right to Decide campaign.

The Albanese government's signature Climate Bill to enshrine the 43 per cent greenhouse gas emissions reduction target is also due to enter the upper house for debate, although it is understood neither Senator Pocock nor the two Jacqui Lambie Network senators have given support for the legislation.

Another key Labor election promise - to legislate a weighty federal anti-corruption commission - is likely to enter the lower house in the second week of the September session.

Support for allowing the ACT, NT to legalise voluntary assisted dying: