Dr Nitschke said household objects could make up his machine

Dr Nitschke, dubbed 'Australia's Dr Death' by euthanasia opponents, said that someone who wanted to end their life only had to take two or three breaths from the machine to succeed.

"It's a simple device and they are getting simpler," he told reporters in Sydney.

"We've got 200 people booked in for workshops across Australia where people want to come along and build this device," he said.

He denied it was irresponsible to teach people how to build it.

"We will endeavour to ensure that the only people who come and take part in these workshops are people that have a good reason to, and this will be elderly Australians," he said.

But he acknowledged that it would be easy for others to hear how to make the contraption, which he said could be made from items like a Vegemite jar and sauce bottle.

Right to die

"Look, it's not rocket science. Anyone who has done high school chemistry can build one of these machines," he said.

Euthanasia was briefly legalised in Australia's Northern Territory in 1996. Several people died after receiving lethal injections before the legislation was repealed by the federal government two years later.

Dr Nitschke insists those with terminal and painful illnesses have the right to choose when and how to end their lives.