1 NEWS' Political Reporter Andrea Vance is "worried about how much heat" is in the End of Life Choice bill debate and whether New Zealand can have a "civilised conversation" surrounding the issue.
MPs cast conscience votes on the first reading of the bill on Wednesday night and the count was 76 in favour and 44 against, to move it to select committee.
The bill gives people with a terminal illness or a "grievous and irremediable" medical condition the right to request assisted dying, and also defines those eligible and details a comprehensive set of provisions to ensure it is a free choice made without coercion.
It also outlines a stringent series of steps to ensure the person is mentally capable of understanding the consequences of their decision.
This week on 1 NEWS' Inside Parliament, political reporter Katie Bradford explained how David Seymour didn't expect his bill "to come up as early as it did."
"That happened because some of the bills that were on the auto paper Labour either got rid of or they took a couple on as their own bills and so it meant it shot up the auto paper a lot faster and he had to do a last minute wrangle to get the support needed for the bill," Bradford stated.
"A lot of MPs support the idea, support the idea of having a conversation and support assisted dying but are very concerned about this bill and that it's poorly drafted."
"But David Seymour doesn't support that though."
Was Grant Robertson's mini budget a triumph or did it simply fail to deliver?
Despite the strong majority, the bill has a long way to go and legalising voluntary euthanasia could end up being decided by a referendum.
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