1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: Now we know that the Senator for the Northern Territory, 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: Doctor Sam McMahon, yesterday introduced a private senator's bill to 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: Right or Wrong, committed almost twenty five years ago to 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: the day, to well elevate the rights of alleviate I 5 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: should say, the rights of territorians to the same level 6 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 1: as all Ossy's. 7 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:21,759 Speaker 2: The Senator says the purpose of the Ensuring. 8 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: Northern Territory Rights Bill twenty twenty one is to reduce 9 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 1: the level of Commonwealth interference with laws in the Northern Territory. 10 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: And Senator Sam McMahon joins me on the line right now, 11 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: good morning to your senator. 12 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 3: Good morning Katie. 13 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 2: How are you not too bad? 14 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 3: Now? 15 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:37,839 Speaker 2: Senator? 16 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: Where are things at with the introduction of this bill? 17 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 1: I understand that did you introduce it yesterday? 18 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 3: Yes? Yeah, Katie, I did really, really exciting a historic 19 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 3: day for the Northern Territory. I moved the motion yesterday 20 00:00:55,280 --> 00:01:00,080 Speaker 3: in the Senate yesterday afternoon to introduce the bill, and 21 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 3: and that motion passed, so we had the bill introduced 22 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 3: and the first and second reading speeches. Everything went through 23 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 3: without a hitch. So the bill is well and truly 24 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 3: on its way to restoring the territory's right to legislate 25 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 3: for itself. 26 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:21,760 Speaker 2: So, Senator, we know that's well. 27 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 1: Back quite some time ago, the Member for Mensies, Kevin Andrews, 28 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: he introduced the bill that was designed to remove well 29 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: from the Australian self governing territorians the ability to pass 30 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: legislation well relating to euthanasia and assisted suicide. It's something 31 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: which has been talked about for such a long time. 32 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: So how is. 33 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 2: What you've done yesterday? I mean, how's it different? 34 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: I guess there'll be lots of people listening thinking is 35 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 1: this really going to Are we really going to see 36 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 1: any change here? 37 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 3: Yeah? Yeah, Look, Katie, believe it or not, it was 38 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 3: about twenty four years ago that that bill was introduced 39 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 3: that squashed the territories right to have laws permitting assistant 40 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 3: suicide or voluntary assisted dying, or however you want to 41 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 3: describe it. So this bill will remove that. This bill 42 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 3: will overturn that bill from twenty four years ago and 43 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 3: will allow the Northern Territory to again make its own 44 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 3: legislation around voluntary assisted dying should it choose to do so. 45 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 2: So what are the next steps? Sam? Where are we at? 46 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: You know, I know, that you said that the first 47 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: and second reading happened. What needs to happen next? 48 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:46,079 Speaker 3: Okay, So what happens from here is that I have 49 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 3: put forward a request for the bill to go to 50 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,360 Speaker 3: the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee and asked them to 51 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:59,839 Speaker 3: hold an inquiry in the Northern Territory during the month 52 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 3: of September, so that that would involve hopefully at least 53 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 3: Darwin and Alice Springs a face to face or in 54 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 3: this day of COVID, it may well be a video 55 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 3: or teleconference inquiry. The committee will then come back, write 56 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 3: a report around the inquiry, present that to the Senate, 57 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 3: and then I will be proposing to introduce the bill 58 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 3: for debate in November. 59 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 1: Wow, so November is Have you got any concerns that 60 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: someone's going to handbreak you in some way? 61 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 3: Look, Katie, that's that's always a possibility. Yep, that that 62 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 3: is always something that could happen. But I'm very optimistic 63 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 3: from everything, every conversation that I've had at the moment, 64 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 3: I am very optimistic that this will be presented to 65 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 3: the Senate for bait and voting. And I also believe 66 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 3: that I have the numbers in the Senate and also 67 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 3: in the in the lower House for members to vote 68 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 3: and to pass this legislation. I'm very optimistic about that. 69 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 2: Senator. 70 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: Are you hoping that this is going to be your 71 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: your legacy as a Senator? 72 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 3: Well, Katie, look, that's that's not what I've done it for. 73 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 3: This was this was something that I undertook to act 74 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 3: on when I first came into the Senate, and you know, 75 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 3: and obviously at that stage, I was hoping to or 76 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 3: expecting to have quite a long career in the Senate, 77 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 3: so I wasn't looking at this as something of a legacy. 78 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 3: I was just looking at it as something that I 79 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 3: could do for Territorians. So, you know, I guess the 80 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,839 Speaker 3: way things have turned out, it probably will turn into that. Yes, 81 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 3: you're right. 82 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:58,039 Speaker 1: I mean, how does that sort of make you feel 83 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 1: when you take into account what has happened I guess 84 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: over the last couple of months in terms of, you know, 85 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: the colp selecting somebody else to run when your tenure 86 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: is up. 87 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, well look, Okadie. To be honest, I guess it 88 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 3: does make me feel quite sad for Territorians and the territory. 89 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 3: I'm not really one to beat my own drum, but 90 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 3: I think I have been a very effective advocate for 91 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 3: the Northern Territory, and everyone tells me that I've achieved 92 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:36,360 Speaker 3: far more in my short term than most other senators have. 93 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 3: So that does make me feel a great deal of 94 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 3: regret for the Northern Territory that we're going to be 95 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 3: losing that. 96 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: Senator, I'm really interested to see what happens here. So 97 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 1: do you reckon November? There's November realistically when we're going 98 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,160 Speaker 1: to see if this, if this does go through and 99 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 1: we end up in a situation where it comes a 100 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 1: decision for us as Territorians whether to allow euthanasia. 101 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, look, I said, I am. I am confident that 102 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 3: November will be when it's introduced and voted on, and 103 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 3: I'm confident that I do have the support to get 104 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 3: it through. So obviously a lot can happen between now 105 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 3: and then, and a lot can happen then as well. 106 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 3: But I am confident, and yes, that will mean that 107 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:31,839 Speaker 3: very shortly after it's passed through the fly through the 108 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:35,600 Speaker 3: Senate and then the House, that the Northern Territory, if, 109 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 3: if the if the Legislative Assembly should choose to do so, 110 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 3: would be able to pass its own laws. 111 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 1: Well, Senator Sam McMahon, we know that you know that 112 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 1: these laws have passed in other states in recent times. 113 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 1: It is something that's been on the agenda for other Australians, 114 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:57,840 Speaker 1: but up until this point something that Territorians realistically, while 115 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:00,160 Speaker 1: we may have wanted to have our say, we haven't. 116 00:06:59,880 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 2: Been able to. 117 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: So it's going to be really interesting to see where 118 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 1: this all lands. 119 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 3: Yeah. Absolutely. Look people have said to me, you know, why, 120 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 3: why do you think you're going to be successful now 121 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 3: when previous attempts have failed, And I said, well, look, 122 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 3: there's a few key factors. One is I'm a Northern 123 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 3: Territory senator. Previous attempts have been put forward by senators 124 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 3: from other jurisdictions. I'm from the Northern Territory. I represent 125 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 3: and speak for Territorians. I'm also a government senator. I'm 126 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 3: in government. Yeah, so that carries a lot more weight 127 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 3: in me putting this forward. And times have changed. You know, 128 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 3: when we made these laws, we were ahead of the game. 129 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 3: We were revolutionary. We were the first jurisdiction in the world. 130 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 3: Now many many other jurisdictions around the world and in 131 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 3: states around Australia have passed similar legislation, so you know, 132 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 3: we're not suddenly we're not so crazy. You know, we weren't. 133 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 3: We weren't out of our minds and crazy. Then we 134 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 3: were just ahead of the game and people didn't recognize that. 135 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 2: Well. 136 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 1: Senator Sam McMahon, always good to talk to you, but 137 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: I appreciate you taking the time to speak to us 138 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 1: this morning from Canberra. Keep in contact, let us know 139 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: how things progress. 140 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 3: No worries. Thank you, Katie Sentinly, We'll do. 141 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 2: Thank you.