Victoria should be congratulated for taking the lead on what has been a hotly-contested issue in Australia for years.

The question of voluntary euthanasia continues to divide people on moral, ethical and even religious grounds.

Politicians are coming under increased pressure to find a way to make it work throughout the nation but there's no doubt that it's not an easy task they've got ahead of them.

With the level of difficulty in mind we should not be critical of politicians for treading carefully in this area.

The difficulty for politicians comes in finding the correct legislative framework that both empowers those who wish to end their own suffering while also protecting the state's most frail and vulnerable people.

It is hard to argue against someone's right to choose to end their own life once the pain of their illness has become too much to bear.

For many people in this situation daily life is an ongoing struggle and as they see their quality of life deminish it's understandable some may want their suffering to end.

Most of us can readily see the logic and compassion of providing medical support to the dying if they wish to say their goodbyes on their own terms.

But the question becomes much murkier when we try to move from a philosophical position on voluntary euthanasia to a practical one.

Even if you support the notion of voluntary euthanasia - and surveys show that many Australians do - you should still feel some sympathy for the politicians tasked with drafting legislation to make it a reality.

Because for every clear-cut case where someone with a clear mind is in a perfect position to decide to end their own suffering, there are countless cases where the circumstances are much more complex.

Any euthanasia legislation must ensure that the sick and vulnerable cannot feel pressured into making a decision they do not wish to and must ensure that all people considering euthanasia are mentally capable of such an important decision.

These are the grey areas that concern lawmakers - and rightly so - and that's why all eyes will be on Victoria to see just how it plays out.

If Victoria can make voluntary euthanasia work, with proper regard for all sides of the debate, then other states can as well.

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