Voluntary assisted dying is back on the agenda in Canberra and the Northern Territory after federal laws banning territories from legalising euthanasia were abolished.
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The ACT plans to introduce legislation next year but the Top End is yet to reveal its plans, despite being the first Australian jurisdiction to allow euthanasia in 1996 until it was nullified the following year. .
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr paid tribute to the people who'd campaigned across the last quarter of a century, saying his city would begin community consultation on the issue early next year.
"Thank you to everyone who has actively campaigned to resolve an injustice that for 25 years has seen ACT and NT citizens denied their democratic rights," he said.
"In particular we thank the senators and members who voted in favour of territory rights and particularly acknowledge the work of our ACT senators Katy Gallagher and David Pocock, as well as ACT MPs Alicia Payne, Andrew Leigh and David Smith."
The NT hasn't declared its intentions on voluntary assisted dying, but said the legal changes meant its important issues wouldn't be handled by politicians in Canberra.
"The passing of the bill in the federal parliament is a win for democracy and for all territorians," chief minister Natasha Fyles said.
"Territorians deserve the same rights as every other Australia. Today we have made a positive step forward on deciding what is best for ourselves."
Dying With Dignity ACT president Jeanne Arthur hoped the consultation would be quick, noting Canberrans had been calling for legalisation for some time.
"We've had 25 years in effect to debate it and the arguments against it have been lost," she told ABC TV.
"No matter how much we lobbied, how much we wrote letters, appealed both to our local government and also to the the federal parliament, there was just evasion and basically a blank wall.
"People just carried on with their lives, they just died the way they had to die."
Labor senator Malarndirru McCarthy was similarly thrilled territories could control their own destinies.
"We can agree to disagree on many issues, but I think it's a no-brainer that Australians in the territory should have the same rights as Australians in the states," she said.
"So many territorians have been watching this bill very closely and are pleased to finally see this historic day for democracy and territory rights."
Australian Associated Press
