A vote in the Senate has moved the ACT and Northern Territory a step closer to being able to legislate for voluntary assisted dying. 

Senators have been debating a bill to remove a federal veto on the territories being able to legislate on certain issues, including euthanasia.

A preliminary vote on the bill ahead of a final vote this week saw 41 in support and 25 against.

ACT Labor senator Katy Gallagher - an advocate of territory rights - says it was a “historic moment”.

“I think it gives the first indication, really, of how everybody is going to vote,” she said.

“It's a conscience vote for everybody in the chamber and the second reading vote passed 41 to 25, which is just amazing.”

The bill seeks to overturn a veto imposed 25 years ago, after the Northern Territory introduced the world's first right-to-die legislation.

Federal Liberal MP Kevin Andrews introduced a bill in the Australian parliament to overturn the Northern Territory's laws and prevent territories, including the ACT, from legalising euthanasia.

His created a ban that has lasted to this day.

Senator Gallagher notes that it has been a “long journey”.

“I think I wrote my first letter when I was chief minister to a former government 10 or 11 years ago, asking for a process to overturn this bill,” she said.

Liberal senator Sarah Henderson remains opposed to the bill, calling it “deeply offensive”.

“This bill... is a statement that we in Australia are prepared to kill our most vulnerable,” she told the Senate chamber.

“It represents state-sanctioned killing.”

Senator Gallagher pointed out that the law does not allow euthanasia, but rather permits the territories to express their views through a vote on it.