Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too congratulate the member for Canberra for bringing this matter to our attention. Organ donation truly is giving the gift of life and yet it is a gift that most people do not know how to give. According to a comprehensive survey undertaken last year by the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority, one-third of Australians do not know that family consent is needed for organs to be donated when somebody dies. That is why I want to take the opportunity to encourage everybody—particularly those people in my electorate of Fowler—not only to sign up for the organ donor register but also to talk to their relatives and loved ones about what their wishes are. Thankfully, 93 per cent of people surveyed by the authority said that they would uphold the donation wishes of their loved ones. So long as people make it clear that they want to give the gift of life through organ donation, we should see a significant rise in our current donation rates.

One family who had these discussions was that of Debbie Roberts and her daughter Rebecca. In 2002 Rebecca tragically died at the age of 20. Before her death, Rebecca—a forthright young woman—spoke up and made her intentions about organ donation clear to her mother. Thankfully her mother, Debbie, the CEO of Youth Solutions, respected her daughter’s wishes. As a result of Rebecca’s donations four people were given the gift of life—two received kidneys and another two received her corneas. Debbie has graciously shared with me correspondence that she has received from those four recipients of Rebecca’s organs. It is very touching correspondence. The letters show just how people’s lives have been so profoundly affected and enriched and how life has been given through Rebecca’s selfless decision to donate her organs should she die. We owe Rebecca and many like her an enormous debt of gratitude for their decisions to donate organs.

Only two years ago I had the privilege to speak on the legislation which led to the establishment of the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority. I am happy to note that since the authority came into operation in 2009 there has been a steady increase in the number of donations in Australia. In fact, in 2009-10 there were 279 donations, the highest annual donation rate in a decade. That figure is to be celebrated, but it is also important to note that we have a heck of a long way to go. As we speak here today there are more than 1,000 people on organ donation waiting lists. Those people are living with the knowledge that a donor may not be found for them in time. At the same time we have a lot of people who are suitable donors dying without having registered their intention to donate. They never had the discussions with their loved ones or families.

On average, every deceased organ donor in Australia may contribute to between three and 10 transplants. Currently we have 11 in every one million people who have registered as organ donors. Simply imagine the number of people’s lives that could be saved if we had more people brave enough and with enough foresight to have that discussion with their loved ones as to their intention to provide the gift of life for their fellow man. I proudly carry with me a card which identifies me as a registered Australian organ donor. I encourage all Australians to do the same. It is a critical first step in being able to give somebody what can only be seen as the greatest gift that one human can give to another—that is, the gift of life.

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