A quarter of a century ban on the Northern Territory and ACT from legislating on euthanasia has been lifted.

The Bill passed the Senate last night after the Coalition put forward two last-minute amendments to add safeguards to ban euthanasia for people under the age of 18 and restrict access for people with disability.

But Finance Minister Katy Gallagher argued the amendments could have left the Territorians unable to legislate voluntary assisted dying.

“If this amendment were to pass, it would render anything the territory legislatures ineffective. So it’s an anti-repeal amendment,” she said.

“Our job is to get out of the way and let them have the same legislative responsibilities and powers as the parliaments of NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland and South Australia.”

The upper house shot down the amendments and voted in favour of the Bill, which passed on the voices.

Senators and advocates for the legislation in the public gallery celebrated with a round of applause after it was passed.

The legislation does not legalise voluntary assisted dying in the NT or ACT, but it paves the way for territory governments to debate the issue.