David Goodall stirs Australia's assisted suicide debate

David Goodall stirs Australia's assisted suicide debate - Influential botanist and ecologist, Professor David Goodall from Perth has voluntarily ended his life in Switzerland at the age of 104-years-old.

Prof Goodall's decision has grabbed global attention and reignited a conversation around the right to die in Australia.

This gallery examines the scientists last journey and Australia's current assisted dying framework.

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Basel, Switzerland - Prof Goodall ended his life surrounded by his family in Basel, Switzerland at a clinic called Eternal Spirit Wednesday night.

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Application - Prof Goodall had successfully applied to the clinic from Australia before being cleared by a doctor and psychiatrist for the life-ending procedure.

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Public end - The scientist was vocal about his belief that Australia should adopt the right to die, and about his choice to die in Switzerland.

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Among the first Aussies - Prof Goodall is one of the first Australians to end his life in Switzerland because of old age and not terminal illness.

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Attempted twice before - He attempted to end his own life unsuccessfully twice before in Australia.

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Life deteriorated - A great-grandfather, his quality of life had significantly deteriorated, saying to journalists at a press conference: "At my age, or less than my age, one wants to be free to chose the death when the death is an appropriate time."

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Order of Australia - David Goodall was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2016 during Australia Day celebrations.

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Documentary - A documentary film about Prof Goodall's life is being made and the film crew visited him for an interview in Basel, Switzerland before his death.

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Remembered - Goodall is remembered by his son, daughter and grandchildren who live in Perth.

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Countries where euthanasia is legal - Euthanasia is legal in Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Switzerland.

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Australian political parties in favour of euthanasia - The Australian political parties in favour of euthanasia are: the Science Party, Australian Greens, the Secular Party of Australia, the Reason Party, and the Liberal Democratic Party.

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Federally illegal but not black and white - Euthanasia is illegal under federal law in Australia but going to jail for assisted dying is uncommon.

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TAS Nurse - A Tasmanian nurse was convicted of helping her elderly father die and attempting to end the life of her mother with dementia in 2005.

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Sentence suspended - After sentencing her to two and a half years in jail, the judge suspended the sentence because he believed the community did not want the woman behind bars.

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Involuntary euthanasia - Shirley Justins was found guilty of manslaughter and Caren Jennings was found guilty of accessory to manslaughter in 2009 for their assisted death of Graeme Wylie.

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Lacking mental capacity - The prosecution successfully argued that the deceased lacked the mental capacity to decide his death and the accused committed involuntary euthanasia.

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Supreme Court of New South Wales - A man was convicted of manslaughter and given a suspended sentence of two years for helping his wife overdose on pills and die after she asked him to in 2011.

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Court consideration - The light suspended sentence was given with consideration that the 78-year-old woman suffered immense spinal pain and requested to die.

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Exit International ads banned - The euthanasia group, Exit International, had planned to run television commercials in favour of assisted dying in 2010, however, the advertisements were banned.

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Legalization in NT - Euthanasia was legalised in NT in 1995 and survived a repeal vote in 1996.

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Three assisted suicides - Three people chose to die through legally assisted suicide in NT between 1995 and 1996.

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Voided by Australian Parliament - NT's legalisation was voided by a federal bill outlawing euthanasia in 1997.

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Territories' laws less powerful than states' - The Commonwealth government can override territories' local laws but states can dictate their own, to an extent.

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TAS - In 2013 euthanasia was nearly legalised in TAS but the bill was defeated 13 votes to 12.

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SA - A bill before the SA House of Assembly to legalise euthanasia in 2016 was rejected 27 votes to 19.

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VIC legalises - VIC legalised physician assisted dying for terminally ill patients who have less than six months to live.

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First state - The passsage of the bill means VIC will become the first state in Australia to have legalised assisted dying.

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2019 - The bill will go into effect in 2019 and won't be legal in the state until then.

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NSW close but defeated - A bill to legalise euthanasia in NSW was defeated 20 votes to 19.

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David Goodall stirs Australia's assisted suicide debate

He left for his right to die, future elders may not have to

10/05/18 | StarsInsider

HEALTH Assisted suicide

Influential botanist and ecologist, Professor David Goodall has voluntarily ended his life in Switzerland at the age of 104-years-old.

Prof Goodall's decision has grabbed global attention and reignited a conversation around the right to die in Australia.

This gallery examines the scientists last journey and Australia's current assisted dying framework.