An advertisement advocating voluntary euthanasia that was banned from Australian screens is likely to air in New Zealand.

The script for the ad from Exit International was approved by the Commercial Approvals Bureau this week.

Exit International director Dr Philip Nitschke - also known as Dr Death - is hopeful the initial positive response means the full ad will also be approved for screening.

"However, the same thing happened initially in Australia and then the ad was pulled 24 hours before it was due to screen," Nitschke said.

"Hopefully the same thing doesn't happen in New Zealand."

The ad, also rejected in Canada, was banned from Australia because it was seen as encouraging suicide.

Commercial Approvals Bureau director Rob Hoar said he didn't understand the Australian's reasoning.

"We had no problems with the script. It would probably have to been screen during adult's viewing time because it deals with adult issues, but initially there are no problems with it," Hoar said.

He said advertising standards allowed for advertisements that encouraged robust political debate.

"This is a democracy."

The banned Australian ad has since been shown on Australian television as part of a current affairs segment on ad censorship.

It runs for 45 seconds.

More than 35,000 viewers have accessed the ad on YouTube.

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- Stuff