Widower guest of 'Dr Death'

A Nelson man being investigated by police after his wife died with a plastic bag over her head is travelling to Australia to speak at a voluntary euthanasia seminar.

Police have yet to decide whether they will charge 84-year-old Ralph Vincent following the death of his terminally ill wife, Vicky, in September last year.

Mr Vincent said he had been invited to speak in Sydney at an Exit seminar and was due to leave on May 29. He said he would also be interviewed by Australian journalists during his week-long visit.

The seminars are being run by the prominent Australian voluntary euthanasia advocate dubbed "Dr Death", Dr Philip Nitschke.

Dr Nitschke has provoked controversy by holding seminars that teach people how to commit suicide using his exit suffocation bags or by building their own carbon monoxide machines.

He met Mr Vincent this year while conducting workshops in New Zealand, where he expressed interest in Mr Vincent's travelling to Australia.

Wanganui woman Lesley Martin, who has been charged with the attempted murder of her terminally ill mother in 1999, will also attend the Australian seminars.

Mr Vincent said: "In both New Zealand and Australian law, suicide is no longer a crime, although it used to be. But assisting a suicide is a punishable offence and this, of course, is the whole basis to the movement for voluntary euthanasia.

"In so many pitiful cases the suffering person who wants so dearly to quit is not in a position to do this because of indisposition."

He said that many people were not prepared to allow suffering to continue while awaiting the inevitable.

"Vicky and I were in complete agreement that it's pointless for one to suffer when the condition can only worsen and medical people can do nothing about it except to alleviate the pain at the expense of virtually robbing you of your mind."

He had told Nelson police of his decision to attend the Australian seminars.

- NZPA