2008

The Parliament of the

Commonwealth of Australia

THE SENATE

Presented and read a first time

Restoring Territory Rights (Voluntary Euthanasia Legislation) Bill 2008

No.      , 2008

(Senator Bob Brown)

A Bill for an Act to amend certain territory legislation to restore legislative powers concerning euthanasia and to repeal the Euthanasia Laws Act 1997, and for related purposes

Contents

1............ Short title............................................................................................ 1

2............ Commencement.................................................................................. 1

3............ Objects of Act.................................................................................... 2

4............ Schedule(s).......................................................................................... 2

Schedule 1—Amendments                                                                                                 3

Northern Territory (Self‑Government) Act 1978                                                   3

Australian Capital Territory (Self‑Government) Act 1988                                 3

Norfolk Island Act 1979                                                                                             3

Schedule 2—Repeal of Euthanasia Laws Act 1997                                             4

A Bill for an Act to amend certain territory legislation to restore legislative powers concerning euthanasia and to repeal the Euthanasia Laws Act 1997, and for related purposes

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1  Short title

                   This Act may be cited as the Restoring Territory Rights (Voluntary Euthanasia Legislation) Act 2008.

2  Commencement

                   This Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

3  Objects of Act

                   The objects of this Act are:

                     (a)  to recognise the rights of the legislative assemblies of the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory and Norfolk Island to make laws for the peace, order and good government of their territories, including the right to legislate for voluntary euthanasia; and

                     (b)  to repeal the Euthanasia Laws Act 1997 which removed that right to legislate for voluntary euthanasia.

4  Schedule(s)

                   Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1—Amendments

Northern Territory (Self‑Government) Act 1978

1  Section 50A

Repeal the section.

Australian Capital Territory (Self‑Government) Act 1988

2  Subsections 23(1A) and (1B)

Repeal the subsections.

Norfolk Island Act 1979

3  Paragraph 19(2)(d)

Repeal the paragraph.

4  Subsection 19(2A)

Repeal the subsection.

Schedule 2—Repeal of Euthanasia Laws Act 1997

1  The whole of the Act

                   Repeal the Act.

2  Application

                   For the avoidance of doubt, the enactment of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory of Australia called the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995 has no force or effect as a law of the Territory, except as regards the lawfulness or validity of anything done in accordance therewith prior to the commencement of the Euthanasia Laws Act 1997.