Andrew Robb (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support this motion which recognises and celebrates the significant contribution which Australia’s volunteer blood donors make to the Australian community. I commend the member for Werriwa for bringing forward this motion this evening.

A month rarely passes in this House without the words of Winston Churchill being recited for one purpose or another. I would like to share a quote of his which I believe is very much relevant to this motion. Winston Churchill said:

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

Giving blood is the epitome of giving, of protecting a life through that gift. The person who gives blood and the patients who receive it are linked by a special bond of concern and need. For the donor, giving blood is a unique way of caring about another human being. For the patient who needs blood to recover, a donation can literally mean the gift of life.

I believe giving blood is an example of taking personal responsibility for the community in which we live. It is an example of the responsibility we all have if we are to enjoy the freedom to live our own lives, a freedom which comes with the responsibility to be concerned about one’s fellow man. Giving blood is a simple and costless means of supporting others in our community.

The average adult’s body contains six to eight litres of blood. Twenty years ago, donated blood was used only to replace losses due to surgeries or accidents. Today, it has many, many uses. As medical technology progresses, more and more uses for blood will be developed. As a result, the need for blood continues to increase.

The ageing of Australia’s population will also have a significant impact on the need for blood donations. In 1967, for example, life expectancy at birth for men and women was approximately 67 years and 74 years respectively. In 2007, these figures were 79 years and 84 years respectively. By 2047, they are projected to be 86 years and 90 years respectively. We are living longer—much longer. Technology and medicine are driving much of that increased longevity. For example, in the United States, a global leader in medical innovation, the past decade has seen an increase of 80 per cent in patents for breakthrough medical technology in an industry worth upwards of $100 billion annually. This, and the successful role of medical intervention, has led to one in three Australians needing blood at some stage in their lifetime.

But here is the crunch: only one in 30 Australians actually give blood. We need 21,000 blood donations per week to ensure an adequate supply. We are falling short of that. In the space of, I think, 10 or 15 years, we will need twice that, over 40,000 donations a week—that is, two million donations a year will be required to meet the need.

On 14 June we celebrate World Blood Donor Day to highlight the lifesaving gift of volunteer, unpaid blood donors who donate blood for altruistic reasons, including the over 500,000 registered blood donors in Australia. The theme this year is Many Happy Returns, to specifically celebrate those donors who give blood on a regular basis—two, three or more times each year. On average, though, registered donors give blood less than two times a year. I would like to personally thank the nearly six per cent of people living in my electorate who are currently blood donors. This is nearly double the average of blood donors nationally, but I know we can do even better. We can set a standard for others to follow. If we could replicate nationally the thoughtful and generous actions of Goldstein residents in Australia, we would be well over the target of achieving the needs of our community. I also thank and recognise the hard-working nurses and volunteers who support the Australian Red Cross Blood Service and the many blood donor centres across Australia. They make an emphatic contribution to the realisation of human dignity for so many men and women. I urge all of those Australians who are able to to donate blood and I hope for ‘many happy returns’.

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