Exit International is helping David Goodall make the trip (AFP Photo/Handout) |
Australia's oldest scientist, who caused a stir when his university tried to vacate his office aged 102, will fly to Switzerland in early May to end his life, reigniting a national euthanasia debate.
David
Goodall, who is now 104, does not have a terminal illness but his quality of
life has deteriorated and he has secured a fast-track appointment with an
assisted dying agency in Basel, euthanasia advocates said.
"I
greatly regret having reached that age," the ecologist told broadcaster
ABC on his birthday earlier this month. "I'm not happy. I want to die.
It's not sad particularly. What is sad is if one is prevented.
"My
feeling is that an old person like myself should have full citizenship rights
including the right of assisted suicide," he added.
Assisted
suicide is illegal in most countries around the world and was banned in
Australia until the state of Victoria became the first to legalise the practice
last year.
But that
legislation, which takes effect from June 2019, only applies to terminally ill
patients of sound mind and a life expectancy of less than six months.
Other
states in Australia have debated euthanasia in the past, but the proposals have
always been defeated, mostly recently in New South Wales state last year.
Exit
International, which is helping Goodall make the trip, said it was unjust that
one of Australia's "oldest and most prominent citizens should be forced to
travel to the other side of the world to die with dignity".
"A
peaceful, dignified death is the entitlement of all who want it. And a person
should not be forced to leave home to achieve it," it said on its website
Monday.
The group
has launched a GoFundMe campaign to get plane tickets for Goodall and his
helper upgraded to business class from economy and has so far raised more than
Aus$17,000 (US$13,000).
Goodall, an
honorary research associate at Perth's Edith Cowan University, made
international headlines in 2016 when he was declared unfit to be on campus.
After an
uproar and support from scientists globally, the decision was reversed.
He has
produced dozens of research papers and until recently continued to review and
edit for different ecology journals.
Australia's oldest scientist, David Goodall aged 104, will fly to Switzerland in early May to end his life, reigniting a national euthanasia debate— AFP news agency (@AFP) April 30, 2018
https://t.co/cZ1ayl4wd1
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