Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY (SELF-GOVERNMENT) ACT 1988 - SECT 23

             (1)  Subject to this section, the Assembly has no power to make laws with respect to:

                     (a)  the acquisition of property otherwise than on just terms;

                     (c)  the provision by the Australian Federal Police of police services in relation to the Territory;

                     (d)  the raising or maintaining of any naval, military or air force;

                     (e)  the coining of money;

                     (g)  the classification of materials for the purposes of censorship.

          (1A)  The Assembly has no power to make laws permitting or having the effect of permitting (whether subject to conditions or not) the form of intentional killing of another called euthanasia (which includes mercy killing) or the assisting of a person to terminate his or her life.

          (1B)  The Assembly does have power to make laws with respect to:

                     (a)  the withdrawal or withholding of medical or surgical measures for prolonging the life of a patient but not so as to permit the intentional killing of the patient; and

                     (b)  medical treatment in the provision of palliative care to a dying patient, but not so as to permit the intentional killing of the patient; and

                     (c)  the appointment of an agent by a patient who is authorised to make decisions about the withdrawal or withholding of treatment; and

                     (d)  the repealing of legal sanctions against attempted suicide.

             (2)  The regulations may omit any of the paragraphs in subsection (1) or reduce the scope of any of those paragraphs.