Australian Parliament considers lifting euthanasia ban

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Australian Parliament is considering a bill that would lift a 25-year-old ban on two territories legalizing voluntary euthanasia. The Parliament legislated the ban in 1997 after the Northern Territory became the first place in the world to legalize assisted dying. Now the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory are the only parts Australia where assisted dying is banned. The Parliament does not have the same constitutional power over the states which have each introduced their own laws allowing mercy killing of the dying. Government lawmakers Luke Gosling and Alicia Payne introduced to the House of Representatives on Monday a bill that would allow the two territories’ legislatures to legalize euthanasia.