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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-08-30 Daily Xml
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Motions

DonateLife Week

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (15:58): I move:

That this council—

1. Notes that 23 July to 30 July is DonateLife Week 2023;

2. Recognises that organ and tissue donation saves many lives every year;

3. Encourages people to discuss organ donation with their family and friends; and

4. Acknowledges the life-changing decisions of donors and their families.

There is no denying that for those who are unwell or injured, an organ or tissue transplant can mean the difference between life and death, being healthy or sick, seeing or being blind, or between being active and never walking again. Electing to be an organ donor can have long-lasting and far-reaching benefits. Just one organ donor can save the lives of up to seven people and help many more through eye and tissue donation.

I have spoken in this place several times about the importance of organ and tissue donation. Across the first 10 years of the national DonateLife Week program, from 2009 to 2019, there was a 122 per cent increase in deceased donation rates, resulting in an 81 per cent increase in people receiving organ transplants. Those numbers reflect 5,904 deceased organ donors, which has resulted in 16,748 people receiving life-saving organ transplants.

Unfortunately, the global COVID-19 pandemic may have been responsible for a reported 15 per cent drop in donor numbers and transplant recipients. Thankfully, there has been a small resurgence in 2022, compared with 2021 and 2020. We must do all we can to encourage that number to climb in order to save the lives of more Australians.

Currently, in Australia, there are about 1,800 people on the waitlist for a transplant, and about 14,000 additional people are on dialysis, some of whom may need a kidney transplant. These figures demonstrate how imperative the continuation and support for DonateLife Week, coordinated federally by the Organ and Tissue Authority, is to thousands of Australians.

This year, from 23 July to 30 July, I was pleased to share this year's DonateLife Week campaign to take a minute to talk to your family about organ and tissue donation. In 2022, 54 per cent of families said yes to donation when asked in a hospital setting, compared with 56 per cent in 2021. This figure demonstrates the importance of individuals having the conversation with loved ones.

I would specifically like to point out our rural and remote communities. These communities have higher rates of chronic organ disease, yet experience significant barriers to transplantation due to travel, cost and access to specialists.

The death of a loved one is a hugely challenging time for families. Equally, the realisation that someone's life may be cut short because of an illness or disease is also extremely difficult. The anxiety of sitting on an organ or tissue donation waiting list can make this time even more stressful. Unfortunately, people face this reality daily, with more than 1,800 Australians living with uncertainty. Registering as an organ donor is one way that we as a community can provide hope to those who are tragically ill now and in the future.

I take this opportunity to mention my current amendment bill before the chamber. The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration (Tissue Donation Statements) Amendment Bill 2023 seeks to allow families of deceased donors to acknowledge that donor's generous decision to offer the gift of life through organ and tissue donation to others on their death certificate.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Point of order.

The PRESIDENT: You cannot anticipate debate on a bill that is before the chamber, so please move on.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Apologies, Mr President, we will move on. Next year's DonateLife Week will run 28 July to 4 August. It will once again be an opportunity to focus on encouraging organ donation registration and opening the dialogue about organ donorship in our communities. As Peter Marshall once said, 'The measure of life is not its duration, but its donation.'

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.

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