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. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=7002