‘Life-saving’: Qld’s shockingly low organ donor registry revealed

For the first time Queenslanders are able to register as an organ donor when they renew their license or vehicle registration online.

For the first time Queenslanders are able to register as an organ donor when they renew their license or vehicle registration online.

In a bid to boost lagging organ donations in the state, the government has joined forces with DonateLife, the national organ and tissue authority, to launch a new feature on the TMR that allows Queenslanders to lodge their donation status.

Currently less than one third of Queenslanders are registered as donors compared to 73 per cent of people in South Australia.

Organ donation status stamps were removed from Queensland driver's licences more than a decade ago. All other states except South Australia also removed the registration from licences. Keeping the status on licences proved successful for SA.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman told The Sunday Mail that she is a “proud organ donor”

“I have met with donor recipients and have heard first hand just how life saving and

life changing it is to receive an organ.

“Around 1800 Australians are on the organ waitlist and another 14,000 more on

dialysis for kidney failure.

Cooper Chin, 5, pictured with mum Jessica Chin, received a liver transplant. Photo: Steve Pohlner

“So this week we’re calling on Queenslanders to get online, register as a donor, or

check their donor status. It’s important that everyone talks to their family about their wishes because their family will always be given the final decision before organ donation proceeds,” the minister said.

“I’m excited to see in under a week since the TMR link went live, more than 640

Queenslanders have registered, including over 350 from the vehicle registration

page and 290 through the licence renewals page,” she said.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads and Minister for Digital Services Bart Mellish said that close to four million Queenslanders renew their licence or registrations each

year.

“It’s great to see this new feature on the TMR portal is already seeing hundreds

of people register as a donor. Thousands of people would have chosen their status years ago when they first got their licence, with many believing they are a registered donor when they’re not,” he said.

DonateLife Queensland State Manager Tina Coco reports that research shows that families are much more likely to consent to donation if they’re aware of their loved one’s express wish to donate their organs.

“We’ve listened to what people have told us are the main barriers holding them back

from becoming organ and tissue donors,” she said.

Cooper Chin, 5, received a liver transplant when he was nine months old as he suffered from biliary atresia.

Cooper would not have survived without the gift of a donor liver. Now he is an unbelievably energetic little boy, fit and well,” mum Jessica said.

“I’m no pleased that the new TMR feature will hopefully encourage more Queenslanders to be donors,” she said.

SAVING LIVES

73 per cent South Australians are registered donors

48 per cent Tasmanians are registered donors

41 per cent NSW residents are registered donors

31 per cent Queenslanders are registered donors

1800 Australians on organ waitlist

1400 are on kidney dialysis

4 million Queenslanders renew licence or rego each year

.