Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for the question. It's a question not related to this bill. This bill is about restoring the rights of territories to be able to debate bills that will deal with the issues that you have raised as they have been dealt with by the states, who have passed legislation to this effect. But I think, in terms of questions about this bill, it's a straightforward repeal bill of the constraint that was placed on the territories that didn't allow them to debate or pass bills. In terms of the controls on the territories, their governments are democratically elected, and the people will judge the territories on how they manage laws, should they proceed with laws that this bill facilitates.