The Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill passed the lower house of the State Parliament on Thursday, with a vote of 33-11. 

The amended bill will now go back to the Legislative Council, where it is expected to pass and then be ratified by the Governor. 

South Australia will then be the fourth state to legalise euthanasia, after Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania.

David Basham, the Member for Finniss, voted to pass the bill, as did Labor MP Leon Bignell, whose electorate of Mawson includes Kangaroo Island, McLaren Vale and Willunga.

Mr Bignell told the Parliament that he had been contacted in large numbers by people from his electorate, both supporting and opposing the bill.

Adrian Pederick, the Member for Hammond which covers Murray Bridge, Milang, and Langhorne Creek, voted against the bill, saying during the debate that he has concerns that some people who could access support for assisted dying might see themselves as a burden to society and their family and think ‘let’s just get it over and be done with it’.

Josh Teague, the Member for Heysen which takes in Strathalbyn, is the current Speaker and was not required to cast a vote.

There have been 17 attempts over the past 25 years to pass some form of euthanasia laws. 

Under this bill, only South Australians aged 18 and over with a terminal condition causing great suffering and who were not expected to live for more than six months could be given access to medication that would help them end their lives.

They would also need to have lived in South Australia for at least 12 months and would need to seek approval from two separate doctors.