Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown will today introduce a bill to overturn the ban on territory governments' right to legislate for death with dignity.

"Yesterday the new Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull declared the Liberal party stood for freedom of choice and respect for the individual," Senator Brown said.

"The Greens bill will restore the rights of Territory parliaments to assist terminally ill people choose a death with dignity. I hope both Malcolm Turnbull and Kevin Rudd will commit to a conscience vote when Parliament sits in October," Senator Brown said.

The Restoring Territory Rights (Voluntary Euthanasia Legislation) Bill 2008 Bill 2008 repeals the Euthanasia Laws Act 1997, through which the national parliament overturned this right, and specifically, the Northern Territory's Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995. The bill does not restore the Northern Territory Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995. It does however restore the rights of the Northern Territory legislature to make laws about voluntary euthanasia in the future.

"A Newspoll in February 2007 found that eighty percent of Australians believe that terminally ill people should have a right to choose a medically assisted death.

"In 1995 the Northern Territory Assembly led the way in Australia by giving its citizens the option to end their suffering with dignity and medical support. In 1997, Canberra removed that right. This bill will redress that action. In so doing, it reflects the heartfelt views of the majority of Australians on this important issue," Senator Brown said.

Further information: Ebony Bennett 0409 164 603