The Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, says the Allan Labor government must stop stalling the lifesaving plan for Victorians to register on the Australian Organ Donor Register when applying for or renewing a driver licence.
Mr Walsh says the Labor government must act on a report to increase organ donation rates and having that authorisation on someone’s licence provides immediate options when time is measured in minutes.
“In March this year the Legislative Assembly Legal and Social Issues Committee released its report about urgently increasing the number of organ and tissue donors in Victoria,” Mr Walsh says.
“This landmark report makes recommendations to increase the donation rate, including the option of registering as an organ donor when renewing a driver’s licence; increasing promotion of the organ donor register; and increasing the number of organ and tissue donation specialists within healthcare services,” he says.
“The inquiry also highlighted some of the barriers preventing organ and tissue donation, especially in regional areas, and the need to increase the number of donor specialists and ensure more hospitals, if not all hospitals, have the facilities and capabilities to carry out a transplant.”
Mr Walsh says The Nationals at a Federal level are also strongly advocating for the same change – encouraging all states to record donor status on driver’s licences.
He says South Australia is the only state to have registration linked to driver’s licences.
“That state has 73 per cent of its population aged 16 and over registered on the Australian Organ Donor Register and consistently has one of the highest consent and donation rates in Australia,” Mr Walsh explains.
“In NSW 41 per cent are registered, and Victoria is lagging well below that at just 23 per cent,” he says.
“But like every sensible decision, easy decisions, it seems beyond the comprehension of the Allan Labor government.
“Right now there are around 1800 Australians on a waitlist for organ transplant and around 14,000 more people on dialysis, many who would benefit from a kidney transplant.
“So what is the problem here – for the life of me I cannot see why this report wasn’t immediately rubber stamped and acted on.”
Mr Walsh says there are not many people who don’t have someone in their family, or who don’t know someone, whose life has been saved, or dramatically improved, through organ donation.
“I have known people who have been waiting for years on dialysis, and I also know someone who has benefited from an organ transplant. Of course there are two sides to this story, but I have absolutely no doubt our figures would quickly match South Australia if people were given the licence option – and that saves lives,” he added.
“It has been eight months since the committee’s report was tabled, and I am strongly urging the Minister to actually do something, to adopt the recommendations and enable donor registration through driver’s licences.
“It will help save lives and give hope to those waiting for an organ transplant.
“It might save yours.”
To read the report visit:
Register and talk about it: Inquiry into increasing the number of registered organ and tissue donors