Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I advise the House that I have received a letter from the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian Capital Territory, enclosing a copy of a remonstrance addressed to the President of the Senate and senators in relation to democratic rights of citizens of the ACT. The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly requests that as this is a matter affecting both houses of the Commonwealth Parliament I make the House aware of the remonstrance.

I present a copy of the letter and the remonstrance.

Andrew Leigh (Fenner, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

on indulgence—For the first time in its 29-year history, the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly has brought to this parliament a message of remonstrance, and it does this asking that the ACT assembly have removed the bar to it having the deeply difficult conversation about voluntary assisted dying. It was 21 years ago that this parliament took that power away from the ACT assembly. Since then, the Victorian parliament has passed laws on euthanasia, and the ACT assembly is remonstrating with this parliament for that right to be restored. I call on the government to bring forward for debate the private member's bill, Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2018, moved by myself and the member for Solomon, Luke Gosling, so that we can have this debate in this place now.