PM out of touch with Australians on physician assisted dying

No huge push for euthanasia vote, says PM, Feb. 12, 2010.

Kevin Rudd does not believe federal parliament will be asked to make a conscience vote on euthanasia any time soon.

And if it was, he would vote against the right to die.

The prime minister was responding to Melbourne woman Debbie Williams who asked Mr Rudd, during the Seven Network's Sunrise program on Friday, for his personal view on euthanasia.

"Could we get the ball rolling for a conscience vote, instead of sweeping this issue under the carpet?" she asked.

The last time federal parliament voted on the issue was in 1997 when MPs voted to overturn a Northern Territory law which introduced voluntary euthanasia in 1995.

Mr Rudd said he did not see a "huge push" for parliament to take another vote on the issue, adding he would vote against a voluntary legal right to die.

"I know it's not universally popular, but that's my view," he said, adding he was concerned about the pressure older people might feel about any responsibility they put on family and carers.

Australian Greens leader Bob Brown has a private bill before parliament which aims to restore the NT law.

In The Sydney Morning Herald