Queensland’s voluntary euthanasia laws have been deferred until after the October election.

Draft legislation is being referred to the law reform commission after Queensland Parliament's health committee spent almost a year assessing the bill.

Despite her own advisory group calling for the laws to be passed, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has told parliament that the bill will be referred to the Queensland Law Reform Commission for consideration.

It is not expected to respond until after the October state election.

“Voluntary assisted dying is very complex and it is a deeply personal issue in which competing interests and views of Queenslanders and experts have to be carefully balanced and the lives of our elderly and the most vulnerable people protected,” she said.

“The provision of compassionate, high quality and accessible palliative care for persons at their end of life is a fundamental right for the Queensland community and it is critical that we get this right.

“There are always a number of operational issues to work through before we can implement any kind of voluntary assisted dying scheme in Queensland at this time.

“For these reasons, I believe the law reform in this area requires further careful consideration — we did this for the Termination of Pregnancy bill.”

The proposed laws would allow people aged 18 years and older to seek an assisted death if they are diagnosed by a medical practitioner as having an advanced and progressive terminal illness, or neurodegenerative condition.