Page 4610 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 27 November 2019
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It is a perfectly reasonable position for someone to support this motion and also quite separately consider any legislation that may be introduced at a later time into this place. There is, indeed, an important and sensitive matter which is a matter of conscience. But that is a matter that will follow and is not a matter for today’s debate. In fact, it is not accurate to say that a proxy debate is going on today. It is incumbent on those of us who fully understand what can happen in democratic institutions to distinguish between the substantive debate to follow and the one that occurs today. That is the responsibility we each have.
Our democracy will simply be strengthened when we take the time to work with people carefully and sensitively so that they can all fully appreciate how members in this place who may well find voluntary assisted dying untenable would simultaneously strongly advocate for this motion and for the rights embedded in it.
We will simply be a stronger community, a stronger parliament, when all 25 of us who are elected to this place accept the responsibility of working with our community so that they can appreciate and accept this difference. In fact, that is a responsibility that sits at least equally if not higher on those who are opposed to the concept of voluntary assisted dying so that they can demonstrate the important democratic values that lie behind an institution, a parliament, that is able to have self-determination on matters such as this.
This government recognises that the people of Canberra aspire to be a city that can fully consider matters that are relevant in a progressive, connected and egalitarian way. I say unequivocally yet again that I will keep on vocally supporting their right to self-determination. As Attorney-General I call upon each and every one of us here to take up the challenge raised in this motion and to request the repeal by the federal government of its powers that block our rights and responsibilities regarding Canberra’s laws.
All members in this Assembly must recognise that as representatives of the people of Canberra we are required to protect the democratic rights of our people. I will continue to join with my colleagues on this side of the chamber and hopefully with all members of this chamber to vocally and actively support the rights of Canberrans to build a city that is inclusive, equal and fair, a restorative city with progressive values. I thank Ms Cheyne for bringing this important matter to the Assembly today and I commend the motion to the Assembly.
MS STEPHEN-SMITH (Kurrajong—Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Children, Youth and Families, Minister for Disability, Minister for Employment and Workplace Safety, Minister for Health, Minister for Urban Renewal) (11.18): I thank Ms Cheyne for bringing this motion today. I am sure that many members have, like me, had conversations with some of their older constituents who still miss the days before self-government when the ACT was run and funded by the commonwealth. They miss the days when commonwealth funding fully supported the territory’s infrastructure and our service needs. These days, however, we pay our own way. The ACT is only a self-governing jurisdiction because the commonwealth wanted us to take responsibility for our own administration. The
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