AN AMENDMENT about how organ and tissue donation information is disclosed is being debated in Federal Parliament.
The government is seeking to extend the list of people that DonateLife and the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority (OTA) can obtain consent from to share information about a deceased donor or recipient for community awareness, educational or commemorative activities.
Currently, only partners of deceased donors, or parental guardians if the donor is less than 18 years, have the authority to disclose information to DonateLife and the OTA.
The new amendment wants the provisions to be extended to include more “authorised family members”, including a deceased donor or recipient’s partner, parent, child, sibling, grandparent and grandchild.
Assistant Health and Aged Care Minister Ged Kearney said it will enable more families, who would not have otherwise been able, to share their stories with the Australian community.
“Critical to this work of the Organ and Tissue Authority and DonateLife agencies are promotional and educational activities to increase community awareness of organ and tissue donation,” Ms Kearney said.
“The ability to communicate the stories of those who have given the gift of life, and of those who have received this gift, is vital to saving lives, and improving the quality of life for more Australians.”
Member for Mallee Anne Webster, who co-chairs the Parliamentary Friends of Organ Donation, told Parliament she supports the premise of the Bill and the awareness it will create.
“I think being informed is very important, that’s the benefit of this legislation,” Dr Webster said.
She told parliament there is limited detail around the process by which consent will be sought, and there are “potential issues” with the Bill in its current form.
“What we have from Labor is that they often make headline policies with very little detail,” Dr Webster said.
“The headline might look good but really, what is it going to mean in practice?”
She said the Coalition won’t oppose the amendment, and expects the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee to further adjust the legislation, to “ensure that the Bill is watertight and is as effective as possible.”
“I want to see this legislation be the best it can be,” Dr Webster said.
“It’s important for it to go to a committee and for the committee to scrutinise the legislation.”
The amendments are not intended to facilitate direct contact between donor families and organ and tissue recipients, and will maintain the right of both donor families and transplant recipients to remain anonymous.
