BRING EUTHANASIA BACK TO THE NT

The Northern Territory Voluntary Euthanasia Bill of 1997 was one of the most enlightened and visionary pieces of legislation ever passed by our Assembly. It’s overturning in the Federal Parliament by the Kevin Andrews/Tony Bourke bill was both callous and cruelly indifferent. For the federal parliament to pass this bill of recission was a denial of Territory rights.

Over time a significant number of people with terminal illnesses have been robbed of natural justice. Many have been forced to endure untoward suffering in their final weeks and months of life.

Interestingly, Victoria and now New South Wales are moving in the direction of their own state legislation that embraces euthanasia.

It is to be hoped that the David Littlejohn initiative to allow the Territory to re-engage on the issue is successful. Should that be the case, my hope would be that a bill encompassing euthanasia would be re-introduced into the Northern Territory parliament and and passed. That would reinstate an entitlement savagely stripped away by Canberra 21 years ago.

Ia a following post I will share my letter to Kevin Andrews on the subject.