Euthanasia advocate deregistered for 'public safety'

Outspoken euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke has been deregistered by the Medical Board of Australia.

The board said Nitschke posed a "serious risk to public health".

According to The Australian, Nitschke was under investigation by the board for his contact with suspected serial killer Nigel Brayley, who was found dead next to his mother's grave on May 2 in an apparent suicide.

Brayley was suspected of the 2011 killing of his wife and police were also investigating him in the 2005 death of his then-live in girlfriend.

Nitschke said he would appeal the ruling, which he said was made for political reasons.

Nitschke is the founder of Exit International, a pro-euthanasia group.

He successfully campaigned to legalise euthanasia in the Northern Territory in 1995 and assisted four people in committing suicide before the law was overturned by the federal government in 1996.