Disabled or elderly people could feel pressured to kill themselves if voluntary euthanasia is legalised in South Australia, a disability advocacy group says.
Glenda Lee from Lives Worth Living opposes the voluntary euthanasia bill that is being debated in the SA parliament this week.
"Just watching your sons and daughters suffer with having to look after you, a lot of old people will just go, 'I'm really suffering now and I want to kill myself'," she said.
"When in fact they really might be quite happy to go on living, but they don't want to burden their family. And that's not good enough."
But supporters of the legislation say the bill has been built around safeguards that have been shown to work overseas and rules out disability on its own as a reason to access euthanasia.
"You have to be clearly dying, you have to have a terminal illness. That is the only way you can access this law," said supporter and TV personality Andrew Denton, who is in Adelaide for the debate.
"The suffering has to be irreversible and so great that then, and only then, can you be considered eligible for this law."
But Ms Lee believes once some laws are passed, changes will be made to broaden their scope.
"I've heard of a man (overseas) who killed himself because he was afraid of being on the pension - and he was allowed to. It's ridiculous," she said.
The bill is the 14th attempt to pass some form of voluntary euthanasia laws in SA and will be subject to a conscience vote from both major parties.
It is listed to be debated on Thursday when it will likely be sent to a parliamentary committee for further consideration.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
