Australian, 104, arrives in Basel for planned suicide
Australian scientist David Goodall says goodbye to his grandson at Perth Airport on May 2
Keystone
A 104-year-old Australian scientist has arrived in Switzerland before his planned assisted suicide this week, unbowed about his intentions and hopeful his premeditated death will send a message to legislators back home.
After petting a feisty dog in a warm welcoming crew at Basel’s airport on Monday, David Goodall composed himself for a handful of reporters after arriving from a visit with relatives in Bordeaux, France.
“The message I would like to send is: once one passes the age of 50 or 60, one should be free to decide for oneself whether one wants to go on living or not,” he said.
Lucid and humorous, Goodall reiterated his frustration about not being as free or as mobile in his later life as he once was. While not suffering from a terminal illness, he said he hoped his trip to take his own life in Switzerland – which allows assisted suicide, unlike Australia – would change legislators’ minds one day.
“I think we’ve got quite a way to go. I would like to see the system change, but I doubt it will happen within the next ten years,” he said.
Lethal cocktail
Goodall is expected to meet a doctor on Tuesday who will assess his mindset. He will hold another news conference on Wednesday. On Thursday, he plans to swallow a lethal cocktail of chemicals, ending his life.
After the weekend visit in France, he acknowledged he was “a bit sorry to say goodbye to my family in Bordeaux. But that’s the way it was”.
Switzerland is one of the world’s most permissive countries when it comes to assisted suicide. Representatives of the Swiss “assisted voluntary death” group Life Circle, which is helping Goodall, say only Switzerland and Colombia allow foreigners to travel into the country for an assisted suicide.
More
More
‘Right to die’ should go beyond terminally ill, says medical group
This content was published on
The Swiss Academy of Medical Science has come out in favour of extending physician-assisted suicide to people living with intolerable pain.
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Cultural differences affect end of life decisions
This content was published on
Cultural factors play a large role when it comes to how Switzerland’s linguistic regions make end of life decisions, a study has found.
Growing number of people sign up for assisted suicide
This content was published on
Every year, thousands of people become members of Exit, the largest assisted suicide organisation in Switzerland. Last year was no exception.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.