Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I received so many wonderful speeches from young people in my electorate as part of Raise Our Voice's Youth Voice in Parliament Week that I couldn't choose just one to read. So tonight I'd like to read a speech written by a 15-year-old Canberran named Sarah. 'My name is Sarah Perrett. I am a high school student in Canberra. I am 15 years old. I'm currently watching the government and citizens of Australia work together to bring an end to the pandemic in Australia. This has shown that the only way to solve big problems is with a big community.

My future for Australia is broad and inclusive. It's a future that gives everyone a chance to help. Everybody loves being part of something big and exciting. I believe that our future is big and exciting.

The environment is one of the most current and important issues. We should be aiming for a time where children don't have to worry about the environment. If we change how everyday Australians such as myself view the climate crisis then we can get them involved. We need more participation. Many know what is happening to our earth, but few know how they can help. We should be addressing the fact that fixing issues in Australia can also assist in fixing our earth. Problems such as the unhealthy amount of overeating in teenagers and children have an effect on Australia's environment.

There are many more of these problems that can be addressed. The only way to solve these nationwide problems is if we all do it together. If we work as a nation we can help everyone, but when we split we can't help anybody.'

Thank you, Sarah. I look forward to seeing you give a speech in parliament one day soon.

I would also like to speak briefly about another issue of great importance to Canberrans, and that is the ACT's democratic rights. Twenty-four years ago in federal parliament, Mr Andrews, a member of the other place, introduced laws that diminished the democratic rights of over half a million people. Those laws, which remain in place today, denied people living in the ACT and the Northern Territory the right to political autonomy with respect to voluntary assisted dying. Now, some 25 years on, and despite every state having debated or passed voluntary assisted dying legislation, another man continues to stand in the way of repealing these fundamentally unfair laws, single-handedly blocking the democratic rights of his constituents. That man is ACT senator Zed Seselja.

This isn't the first time that Senator Seselja has let his own views be prioritised over the overwhelming majority view of the community he claims to represent. From same-sex marriage to climate action, he actively campaigns against important issues in this place. But this is the first time that Senator Seselja has actively fought to have all Canberrans treated like second-class citizens. Earlier this week I presented a petition signed by thousands of Canberrans who want to see our democratic rights restored. When I started this petition on the issue, the response was immediate and overwhelming. Every ACT federal representative, other than Senator Seselja, supports the restoration of territory rights. Every member of the ACT Legislative Assembly, including every member of the Canberra Liberals, supports the restoration of our territory rights. Even those representatives who may not support voluntary assisted dying still support the right of our elected local parliament to have the debate.

I tabled my petition to let the record show that over 2,800 Canberrans want to enjoy the same democratic rights as every other Australian. They want their rights to align with those Australians who just so happen to live in a state. After 24 years of discrimination, and with every state now having debated voluntary assisted dying legislation, the time has long passed for this parliament to end the discrimination and restore territory rights. All we need is one more debate on a bill to get this done for the ACT and the Northern Territory. We could have had that debate this week in this place, but, as we've seen, this chaotic government refused to allow the debate on one of its own senator's bills to even occur in this chamber.

I will keep fighting on this issue. I want to see Canberrans have their democratic rights restored. They deserve the same rights as every other Australian. To think otherwise, as Senator Seselja does, isn't just outdated; it's simply unconscionable. We need to ensure that the debate happens respectfully. We need to ensure that the local parliaments in the Northern Territory and the ACT are given the same rights to debate the subject of voluntary assisted dying and we need to allow the citizens of those territories to enjoy the same rights as citizens who happen to live in a state around Australia.