One vote to go on territory rights

SENATORS have voted 41-25 in favour of laws restoring territory rights.

The upper house today (November 24) voted on the second reading of the legislation that would give the ACT and NT the power to make their own laws on voluntary assisted dying.

The final vote is expected to take place next Thursday (December 1).

The bill passed the lower house in August, 99 votes to 37.

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Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

November 24, 2022

5 Responses to One vote to go on territory rights

ALFMAN says: 24 November 2022 at 3:20 pm

About bloody time! What makes “territories” different from “states” anyway?

Colin Smeal says: 24 November 2022 at 4:53 pm

Who on earth are these 25 Senators from other States who think they have the right to decide what the ACT and NT can or cant legislate – I’m dumbfounded at their arrogance and hyporocisy. If I was a less charitable person I would hope that they all suffer a lingering fatal illness and then see how they like that – but of course that wont happen because they HAVE the choice in every State.

Peter Graves says: 24 November 2022 at 5:25 pm

The Bill does not explicitly give the Territories the power to legislate on VAD. It removes the prevention of them doing this – a slight difference, as was made clear in Bills Digest No. 5, 2022–23:
“The purpose of the Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022 is to amend the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 and the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act 1978 to remove the provisions currently preventing the territories from passing legislation which would allow for voluntary assisted dying (VAD).[2]

The Bill would not legalise VAD in either of the territories but rather would allow the Legislative Assemblies of the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory to pass laws allowing for VAD”.
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/bd/bd2223a/23bd005

Peter H. says: 24 November 2022 at 6:25 pm

True, but still a step in the right direction.

Peter Graves says: 24 November 2022 at 6:46 pm

Thanks for reading – I agree. I wanted to make clear that the BIll does not positively legalise VAD in either Territory. As some of the critics have contended, by somehow asserting neither Territory can have that power. Ignoring that the States can.

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