There is a considerable ruing among senior liberals because Kevin Andrews has lost preselection in the Victorian seat of Menzies for the next federal election (‘The Australian 1/2/2021). Self evaluating, Andrews says his “… commitment has always been to the people of Menzies and the people of Australia …”.

Mr Andrews commitment was certainly not toward Northern Territorians, nor was he respectful of decisions made by the NT Legislative Assembly. He was the prime mover behind a bill presented to the Federal Parliament in 1997, which rescinded the Right to Die Bill passed into Territory law by the NT Legislative Assembly in 1996.

Since then, the majority of Australian states have enacted or are in the process of debating similar legislation. The NT, which had been a frontrunner on the issue, was effectively sidelined by the Kevin Andrews/Tony Burke sponsored rescinding legislation. As a territorian since 1975 and as a man now weeks short of his 75th birthday, I will never ever forgive Mr Andrews (nor Mr Burke) for what they did in diminishing the NT through their sponsorship of this action against the Northern Territory and its people