A private member’s bill that would have cleared the way for assisted suicide to be legalised across Australia has been defeated. The bill was voted down by 36 to 34 after two days of impassioned debate in the Senate. The final push to defeat it came from Liberal senator Anne Ruston and Nationals senator Steve Martin who were persuaded to vote against the bill, after initially leaning in favour of it.

“I cannot in good conscience offer my support to this bill which will provide the territories the ability to legislate in the area of voluntary euthanasia, certainly without ensuring that appropriate safeguards were in place,” Senator Martin told the Senate on Wednesday.

Labor senator Pat Dodson, opposing the bill, argued that “paving the way for euthanasia and assisted suicide” would leave Indigenous Australians “even more vulnerable, when our focus should be on working collectively to create laws that help prolong life and restore their right to enjoy a healthy life”.

Senator Leyonhjelm who championed the bill said he was disappointed at its defeat, vowing to continue fighting for “the rights of all Australians to decide how and when to end their lives”.