In the Northern Territory of Australia, we don’t presently have a law of entitlement to Voluntary Assisted Dying.

We had a law in 1997 that was passed by the Northern Territory Assembly giving people the right to die. That was the first law of its kind to be passed anywhere in Australia.

Because the Northern Territory is a territory, the right-to-die law was rescinded by the Federal Parliament. Very few people had accessed its provisions.

How the worm turns! Now in Australia, every state and the Australian Capital Territory have voluntary assisted dying laws – the exception being the Northern Territory. We now have a right to develop a law, but our Labour Government is being very tardy on the subject.

We may well get there at some time but at the moment a whole process of inquiry going on about the matter.

When it happens, if it happens, the Northern Territory which was first, will be last with such a law in place.

We NEED a law allowing the right to die. We need it soon. That is my beef