On 27 February 2001 the Green MLC Ian Cohen moved a notice of motion to introduce a private members Bill to legalise voluntary euthanasia. The purpose of this paper is to update the legal situation, review recent developments in the euthanasia debate, and to present an overview of the issues involved.

Where appropriate, particularly in relation to the arguments for and against active voluntary euthanasia, the paper draws upon the previous publications of the Parliamentary Library - Background Paper No 3/1995 and Briefing Paper No 4/1996