X-Message-Number: 7002
Date: Mon, 30 Sep 1996 10:22:12 -0700
From: David Brandt-Erichsen <>
Subject: Australia update

     From the Sydney Morning Herald, September 30

     MORE SUPPORT FOR ANTI-EUTHANASIA BILL

     By JODIE BROUGH in Canberra

     The Federal Attorney-General, Mr Williams, yesterday threw his
     weight behind the attempt to override the Northern Territory's
     euthanasia law, pledging to support a private member's bill next
     month.

     Mr Williams's support is a significant indication that the
     Government has no concerns about using the Commonwealth's
     constitutional power to override a Territory's law-making power to
     resolve a moral issue.

     Mr Williams, who is "personally opposed" to euthanasia, indicated
     he would speak out in more detail when the bill is debated in the
     House of Representatives on October 28. Asked if he had any
     disquiet about Federal Parliament overruling the NT Legislative
     Assembly, he agreed it was "preferable if you confer
     self-government on a Territory that you allow it to govern".

     "But this is a special situation," he told Network Ten's Meet the
     Press. "We have one Territory with a very small population making
     a fairly momentous decision that does affect the rest of Australia
     and ... I think it is appropriate that the matter should be
     debated in the Federal Parliament."

     The private member's bill, which was proposed by a Victorian
     Liberal backbencher, Mr Kevin Andrews, is expected to pass the
     House, but its fate in the Senate is unclear. The Senate will
     probably send the bill to committee, which means it is unlikely to
     come up for debate this year.

     The Victorian Premier, Mr Kennett, renewed his attack on the
     Andrews bill, warning politicians against involving themselves in
     the euthanasia debate.

     "For Mr Andrews and anyone else to impose their will on how an
     individual wants to conduct his or her life, after every other
     form of assistance has failed, I think is morally wrong," he told
     the Nine Network's Sunday program.

     But one of the staunchest opponents of mercy killing, Tasmanian
     Independent, Senator Brian Harradine, said he would not be swayed
     by opinion polls showing 78 per cent of Tasmanians supported
     euthanasia. "I'm not going to take any notice of a public opinion
     poll," he said.


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