David Seymour and Maggie Barry in Whanganui for euthanasia debate

The ayes had it by a show of hands.

But the perspectives on legalising euthanasia were as varied at the 300 people packed into Central Baptist Church to hear about the End of Life Choice Bill, currently before parliament.

Act Party MP David Seymour argued on Tuesday night his bill offered choice to people facing an uncomfortable death.

But National MP Maggie Barry said there was not enough protection for the vulnerable and the focus should be on better and more palliative care.

"Palliative care can help a lot of people, in fact it can help most people, but it cannot help everyone," Seymour said at the event hosted by Whanganui MP Harete Hipango.

But the options when palliative care was not enough, were not good enough, he said.

They were "amateur, violent suicide", to "suffer to the bitter end" or a doctor "informally does it for you".

"You can refuse water, you can refuse treatments, you can sign to not resuscitate, you can just tough it out - and by the way - none of them have any safeguards.

"In the world of realistic choices that is what happens in New Zealand today."

Seymour said his bill would provide a safe, legal process.

"You can't just walk into a hospital and accidentally have an assisted death."

The bill has received 36,000 submissions with 135 to be heard locally.

Barry, who has drafted a bill to strengthen palliative care, said her concern was that it was "too liberal and too loose".

Act MP David Seymour says his assisted dying bill offers better choice. Photo / Bevan Conley

"When we have an ageing population and that dementia is a reality... we need to be very careful about people's capacity and capability to understand what is being asked of them."

Barry said elder abuse was a problem and that sick people nearing death may feel pressured to die.

"People who would feel that there lives are no longer of value... the choice to live may become a duty to die. These are the kind of things I fear."

Only 13 countries had some form of euthanasia, she said.

"Not many of the countries around the world allow members of the population to kill other members."

Barry was accused by one member of the audience of being emotive by referring to it as assisted suicide rather than dying.

But Barry said language and words were important.

"I think if you're shying away from them that speaks volumes.

"It will be legal to assist someone to kill themselves... Let's not dress it up any other way."

National MP Maggie Barry says better palliative care is an alternative to assisted dying. Photo/ Bevan Conley

Audience member Andy Jarden spoke of his father taking six days to die and he would have wanted euthanasia "just like he did with his beloved dogs".

"It was horrible. We wouldn't treat our dogs like that."

Barry said humans were not animals and it was on doctors' duty of care.

"They need to be nursed and looked after properly, no doubt," she said.

"It should not involve injecting them with toxins and poisons and killing them."

Seymour said humans make a compassionate decisions for animals who wouldn't do it for themselves.

"[But] even when [humans] can make a decision, when they pass all the safeguards in my bill, we still require them to suffer."

Barry said there were no improvements that would make her vote for the bill.

"There are no protections... that would make this bill safe and fit for purpose. That is the conclusion that many people have drawn"

About 300 people packed into the Central Baptist Church to hear about the End of Life Choice Bill. Photo/ Bevan Conley

Others had concern that safeguards would be relaxed in the future.

"If our concern is that the future might me different from the present then we shouldn't do anything," Seymour said.

"People may make laws that you disagree with in 20 years time but that's not relevant to whether we should pass this bill today."