Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (NT, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I have stated my position. My colleague Senator McKenzie has also, I think, clarified this particular point. It speaks to legislation that has passed in states. It's almost a copy and paste from legislation that has passed in other states, and clearly the legislation has not rendered it futile for those states to carry out voluntary assisted dying and to legislate on voluntary assisted dying. I reiterate that what I propose in my amendment, my intentions that were provided to the Clerk, understood that it is not to attempt to render the bill futile. As I've stated, I am in support of territory rights. I'm also in support of elevating the human rights of vulnerable people. That is probably one of the biggest priorities I have in terms of decision-making in these chambers, and I have the right to do so as an elected senator for the Northern Territory.

I am deeply concerned at the state of the Northern Territory. I have witnessed the Territory government have put back in their hands the responsibility of alcohol availability in the Northern Territory. I have seen the vulnerable individuals lives in their hands and the way in which they have failed in their duty to uphold the human rights of vulnerable people in our communities, because as we speak right now there are children in communities who once upon a time, not that long ago, were able to live lives free of alcohol abuse. Those children are now suffering with alcohol abuse, with violence, with the threat of violence, with the threat of sexual abuse constantly hanging over their heads, and heightened states, because the Territory government—the Fyles Labor government—have failed to uphold their duty to protect the vulnerable to be able to live lives free of alcohol abuse, free of sexual abuse, because of the influence of alcohol in their communities.

I will reiterate, particularly for some of my Greens colleagues in this chamber, that I am putting these amendments forward to elevate the human rights of our vulnerable. It doesn't diminish the right for Territorians to legislate. It provides safeguards that already exist in other states. The Territory is not losing out in any way, shape or form. It will just be enhancing what the Territory is able to do, because all I am seeking is to safeguard the human rights of vulnerable members of the Northern Territory and do it at this stage. Nobody is missing out from this. Nobody is losing their rights. This is about the enhancement of the human rights of the vulnerable in the Territory that I have been elected, as a senator, to represent. It's as simple as that.

The CHAIR: I put the question, which is the question to put the question.

Question agreed to.

The CHAIR: The question before the chair is that the amendments on sheet 1764 standing in the name of Senator Nampijinpa Price be agreed to.

The CHAIR (19:36): I alert honourable senators that Senator Duniam has an amendment to the report, which will be moved when I returned to the President's chair. Senators will be able to debate that.

Bill agreed to.

Bill reported without amendments.