Andrew Denton talks about quitting his day job to focus on campaigning for euthanasia after watching his father Kit 'die painfully'... and reveals the 'extremely powerful forces' determined to stop it on The Project By Demeter Stamell For Daily Mail Australia Published: 11:39 BST, 8 July 2021 | Updated: 11:39 BST, 8 July 2021 Viewcomments Andrew Denton gave a candid interview during Thursday's episode of The Project, talking about his personal campaign to legalise euthanasia across Australia. The 61-year-old veteran TV host said he was inspired to take up the cause after witnessing his father Kit 'die painfully' in 1997. 'I realised there were really terrible things happening to people at the end of life - suicides, traumatic deaths, laws which were inadequate to help people who were in distress at the end of life,' he explained. Speaking out: Andrew Denton gave a candid interview during Thursday's episode of The Project, talking about his personal campaign to legalise euthanasia across Australia. Pictured in Sydney in April 'More than that, I realised that, led to some extent by the Catholic Church, but also others in the medical community, there was a concerted campaign to deny that this was happening, or pretend it wasn't happening, or to pretend it was under control. 'What I saw really was some of the most powerful people in the country stopping justice for some of the most powerless people in the country. So that's why I got engaged.' Andrew went on to establish the charity, Go Gently Australia, which advocates for people who want access to life-ending medication. 'I realised there were really terrible things happening to people at the end of life - suicides, traumatic deaths, laws which were inadequate to help people who were in distress at the end of life,' he explained. Pictured on The Project Euthanasia was legalised in Victoria in 2019, and Tasmania has since followed suit, with legislation set to be introduced next year. The issue is still being debated in Queensland's and NSW's parliaments, with Andrew warning of the 'extremely' powerful Catholic Church, which is determined to stop it. 'They've got enormous resources and a lot of access to parliamentarians, they run a lot of our health system,' he explained. Traumatic: The 61-year-old veteran TV host said he was inspired to take up the cause after witnessing his father Kit 'die painfully' in 1997 'They have a lot of doctors who argue on their behalf, who present themselves as arguing from a medical point of view, but in effect they're arguing for the church. So yes, it's difficult. 'But there's so much evidence now from so many inquiries as to the need for these laws and to the fact that they operate effectively, that it's increasingly difficult for parliamentarians to ignore that evidence.' Andrew's father died aged 68 after a long battle with heart failure, and he previously described watching him die as the 'most profoundly shocking experience of my life'. 'What I saw really was some of the most powerful people in the country stopping justice for some of the most powerless people in the country. So that's why I got engaged,' he said. Pictured in Sydney in April Read more: Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility