Ray Martin’s new show pulls back the curtain on Australia’s last taboo: death

At 79 years old Ray Martin is, statistically speaking, only a few years away from death. Yet, like many Australians, he has not given much thought to how he wishes to say his last goodbye.

After discovering how little Aussies are discussing death, the beloved journalist set out to change the conversation, inviting us all along with him as he plans his own funeral with his new three-part series Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye.

SBS commissioning editor Bethan Arwel-Lewis said the program aims to lighten the tone of conversation around death and encourage viewers to consider their own end of life planning before it's too late.

“At SBS we aren’t scared to tackle those subjects that are sometimes provocative or difficult in our programming, so an exploration of death – one of our last taboos – is the perfect subject for us to lift the lid on, and who better to take us into this world and get us talking and even laughing about death, than bone fide national treasure, Ray Martin," she said.

The 'baby boomer' generation is Australia's largest and will reach an average age of 83 before 2030, making conversations like these more pertinent than ever.

The series follows Martin as he crafts his own 'Last Goodbye', observing a variety of cultural end of life traditions and hosting a number of difficult conversations, from body composting to firework farewells, with guests like Gretel Killeen, Mark Humphries and Alex Lee.

“Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye takes a candid look at the rites of passage after death; how we commemorate, celebrate and mourn the dead, what makes us as Australians unique in the world and how ultimately the options available to us are far more than we have ever considered," Deb Spinocchia of BBC Studios Productions Australia said.

Research conducted in 2022 by Proveda initiative 'Dying to Know' and The Groundswell Project Australia revealed that while almost nine in 10 Australians believe end of life planning is important, only one in three have taken action. Yet 40 per cent believe that their loved ones would find comfort in the certainty of their wishes after they pass away.

Proveda's community programs manager Jessie Williams said leaning on one's community can really help individuals overcome the challenges that end of life planning can present.

“While most Australians recognise the importance of planning for end of life, many individuals and communities still face barriers when it comes to understanding what this means, taking action or starting a conversation around death and dying," Ms Williams said.

"This often leads to end-of-life experiences being misaligned with an individual’s values, preferences or wishes, because they simply don't know what is available or what they can request or expect.

“Building communities that can foster these types of conversations is a critical step in ensuring all Australians have access to the tools and environment they need to plan for end of life."

The three part documentary series airs on SBS on Wednesdays at 8:30 pm and is available to stream on SBS On Demand.

Do you have an idea for a story?
Email [email protected]