TV personality Andrew Denton has thrown his support by the latest attempt to pass voluntary euthanasia laws in South Australia, spurred on by his own father's death 20 years ago.
Mr Denton said after his own experience with his father dying "badly" he set out to find out why that had to be the case for him and others in Australia.
"I think we're making progress now. I think politicians are starting to understand that it is possible to write a law that is compassionate and safe and that that's what people want," he said at the launch of the campaign in Adelaide on Friday.
Mr Denton said many politicians struggled to understand the issue of assisted dying in "human terms".
"Those that do strongly support this law have usually had personal experience," he said.
"Once you can put a face and a name to the actual suffering that's going on in the absence of these laws, then you can understand the need to write them."
The latest legislation is the 14th attempt to pass a euthansia bill of some sort in SA.
It was introduced jointly by Labor MP Steph Key and Liberal MP Duncan McFetridge and will be subject to a conscience vote by all MPs.
Both Premier Jay Weatherill and Opposition Leader Steven Marshall have supported the need for a full parliamentary debate.
A social media campaign in support of the new laws has also been launched featuring cancer sufferer Kylie Monaghan, whose disease has spread to liver and bones.
She has called on politicians from both side to pass the bill, with amendments if necessary.
"I need you to make this law happen. I'm counting on you to do the right thing," she said.
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