The architect of the NT's quashed voluntary assisted dying laws has made a passionate appeal to senators as the 25-year territory rights fight nears its climax in the Federal Parliament.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Former NT chief minister Marshall Perron is imploring senators to set aside their personal views on euthanasia when voting on returning the rights of the territories to debate right-to-die laws in their jurisdictions.
On the other side of the debate, the Catholic Church is already preparing for the euthanasia debate in the ACT and NT, in a sign it might be losing hope of winning the struggle in the Federal Parliament.
Debate on Alicia Payne and Luke Gosling's private member's bill to restore territory rights will resume in the upper house at 9am on Thursday morning.
But the 60-minute window almost certainly won't be enough to reach a final vote because of the number of senators still wanting to make speeches on the bill.
That means a late-night sitting of the Senate starting late next Thursday afternoon will be needed to resolve a fight which has spanned four decades.
Ahead of the resumption of debate this Thursday, Mr Perron has sent a pointed message to the federal politicians who are framing the bill around euthanasia, rather than territory rights.
"I ask MPs who misrepresent the issue and intend to vote against this bill, please explain in your contribution what gives you the moral right to decide it is OK for you and your constituents to have the option of voluntary assisted dying but not territorians," he told The Canberra Times.
"The issue is not about euthanasia - don't pretend that it is.
"It is about democracy, about the integrity of our system of government. It is about a fair go. Territorians just want to be included, they really are just like the other 24 million Australians."
The former Country Liberal chief minister was responsible for drafting and introducing the 1995 bill which made the NT the first jurisdiction in the world to legalise assisted dying.
Those laws were quashed - and the territories banned from passing similar legislation in the future - after a private members' bill from Liberal Kevin Andrews passed the Federal Parliament in March 1997.
The Canberra Times has for more than a year been calling for a repeal of the Andrews bill as part of its Our Right to Decide campaign.
Mr Perron, who went on to become a prominent figure in the assisted dying movement, will travel to Canberra over the weekend to witness what he hopes will be a "successful" vote.
"I just want to be there when this 25-year hiatus comes to an end," he said.
"It is an important occasion for Australia and it's an important occasion for me."
After the bill sailed through the lower house 99 votes to 37, the Senate count is expected to be much tighter.
READ MORE:
Sources on both sides of the debate expect the bill will succeed, but believe the result will come down to a handful of votes.
The major parties are allowing a conscience vote, which means the result won't be split along party lines.
Supporters are privately confident that more Coalition senators will follow the lead of Jane Hume, who has flipped position and will support the bill after opposing territory rights when it was debated in 2018.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn has been among the groups lobbying senators behind the scenes in an attempt to sink the bill.
In a statement this week to The Canberra Times, Archbishop Christopher Prowse said it was ironic that a bill lifting a ban on assisted dying laws might pass on the eve of the Christmas period, "when much of the world will call to mind the obligations that we owe to those who are in need and those whose lives are in a precarious situation".
In his statement, Archbishop Prowse's main focus appeared not on the imminent territory rights vote, but the debate it would pave the way for in the territory parliaments.
He said the two legislative assemblies had not demonstrated a "sufficient commitment to life or to palliative care".
"In the ACT, palliative care is not currently funded at the levels required by the community - not all beds are fully funded at Clare Holland House, nor is home-based palliative care funded in a way that reflects the need of those who are dying.
"Should the Restoring Territories Rights Bill pass, we can only hope that the MLAs decide to enable genuine choice by funding according to need."
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
