'This is not the end': ACT reels after Senate rejects territory rights
ACT politicians say the fight to restore the territories' rights to make laws on euthanasia is not over, despite a shock defeat in the Senate overnight.
The private members bill from Liberal Democrats Senator David Leyonhjelm was widely tipped to pass the Senate by a slim margin, however the tide began to turn on the second day of debate, amid intense lobbying from groups opposed to voluntary assisted dying.
Liberal senator Anne Ruston and Nationals senator Steve Martin were originally considering voting yes, but changed their mind and voted against it.
In the end it was defeated by two votes.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr vowed this would not be the end of the push for territory rights.
"Canberrans have been let down by the Australian parliament, again, after the Senate narrowly rejected reforms that would have allowed the ACT and the NT to consider our own voluntary assisted dying legislation," Mr Barr said.
"I want to thank the 34 Senators who stood up for the Australian territories and the communities we represent. It is disappointing that we fell two votes short tonight, but we will not give up. The restoration of territory rights will be back before the parliament soon."
Greens crossbencher Caroline Le Couteur remained optimistic the territories rights to legalise euthanasia would one day be restored.
“We are deeply disappointed that tonight, the Senate has voted to deny territory rights. This had been the most promising opportunity in decades to repeal this undemocratic restriction," Ms Le Couteur said.
“The ACT was granted self-government almost thirty years ago. These discriminatory restrictions are a historical wrong that one day, will be righted. Today was not that day."
Ms Le Couteur was scathing of ACT Senator Zed Seselja, who voted against restoring territory rights because he was concerned about the kind of scheme the Labor-Greens government would introduce.
She said Senator Seselja should reflect on his role in this debate.
"Given the small margin, the Senator refused to allow our community to decide for ourselves - instead, he felt his own views more important than those of the Canberra community. He also could have urged his colleagues to simply allow Canberrans to have their own say," Ms Le Couteur said.
“The people of the ACT are tired of being treated as second class citizens. While bowed, we remain undeterred. The fight to restore territory rights will continue.”
The lower house could be forced to confront the issue next week when a private members bill similar to the one voted down by the Senate appears on the notice paper.
That bill is co-sponsored by Canberra MP Andrew Leigh and his Labor colleague, Northern Territory MP Luke Gosling.
However if Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull doesn't grant leave for debate, the majority of the house would have to vote to suspend standing orders for debate to occur.
Given Labor does not hold the numbers in the lower house, even with their whole party and the entire crossbench on board, it is unclear if or when the issue of territory rights will be debated again.
Seven Labor senators helped to defeat the Leyonhjelm bill, athough 16 voted for it.
Only four Coalition senators, including Simon Birmingham and Nigel Scullion voted to restore territory rights.