Today is a historic day for Canberra.

After a decades-long fight by countless passionate advocates, the ACT Legislative Assembly has passed laws to allow residents of the ACT to access voluntary assisted dying.

This means, at long last, ACT residents can choose to die with dignity.

In December 2022, the Federal Parliament removed the legislation that for too long had blocked territories from determining what was best for their community on this matter and today the people have spoken.

This milestone has only been reached following the many years of tireless work by community and political advocates including Go Gentle Australia, Dying with Dignity ACT, and Doctors for Assisted Dying Choice.

I was proud to work closely alongside my Labor colleagues, both here in Canberra and up in the Northern Territory, over several years to progress a private member’s bill through the Federal Parliament to advocate for the return of the ACT’s democratic rights.

Until this bill passed, ACT residents were second-class citizens with fewer democratic rights than those who lived just over the border in Queanbeyan or Yass.

We fought for the rights of Canberrans and today’s vote in the ACT legislative Assembly has showcased what we can deliver for our community when we work together.

Together, we as a community have worked tirelessly to allow the ACT Legislative Assembly to determine its own laws, ones that reflect the needs and wants of our community. Together we have advocated for the right to have our voices heard and today, we, together, have succeeded in allowing for the residents of the ACT to be awarded the same right to choose voluntary assisted dying, as other states across Australia have done.

No matter what your personal views may be about the issue of voluntary assisted dying, today marks an important day for the democratic rights of the people of the ACT.

This shows the difference that Labor Governments can make.

Katy Gallagher

Senator for the Australian Capital Territory