Euthanasia is one of the most highly debated legal topics in Australia. There is a general consensus that most State Parliaments are opposed to euthanasia and this is expressed in their statutes and criminal codes. Although most states are opposed to euthanasia, there is one territory that approved euthanasia, that being the Northern Territory. The Netherlands also legally permits the use of euthanasia. The allowance and disallowance of legal euthanasia at this point in time is usually the result of what is morally acceptable and not what is wanted by society.

There are many discrepancies over the actual meaning of euthanasia, thus making it an unclear term. The clearest and most relevant definition of euthanasia is the one stated by Duhaime's law dictionary, which is:

"The putting to death, by painless method, of a terminally-ill or severely debilitated person through the omission (intentionally withholding a life-saving medical procedure...