David Koch quits as organ donor council chair, tells Fiona Nash to ‘get a backbone’

FIONA Nash, who copped a pasting from Kochie on air over organ donations, has hit back saying the Sunrise host knew about the review a week ago.

IT’S not everyday you see a TV personality take down their own network on live television, but David Koch did just that during a heated segment this morning.

The Sunrise co-host took aim at Tuesday night’s organ donation investigation on two of his own network’s programs, Seven News and Today Tonight, which he referred to as “highly critical” of the reform of Australia’s organ and tissue donation system.

Kochie, who has been chairman of the federal government’s OTA’s Advisory Council for the past three years, reminded viewers that Sunrise has been instrumental in starting the reforms and then proceeded to pull apart last night’s investigation to “get it right”.

The TV co-host told viewers that the segments had merely presented selective statistics and clarified claims that the nation’s organ donation rate is currently “pretty sick”.

He argued: “Since the Organ and Tissue Authority was launched just back in 2009, Australia’s donation rank has risen from a lowly 32nd in the world to 19th and grown 41 per cent.”

Koch added that our jump to 19th spot was on par with world leaders such as Spain and the UK in their first six years of reforms.

“We still have a lot to do but we’re getting there, and it is at a world class rate.”

Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash.

Addressing allegations made on the programs of OTA mismanagement and the $250 million already spent on Australia’s organ donation system, which was referred to as “money not well spent”, Koch said the $250 million figure was spread over six years.

He then argued the report was based on comments from members of donation advocacy group ShareLife, “who basically want to take control of the reforms and take control of the money.”

“How do I know? I should know, because I used to be part of ShareLife until I left because I was actually sick of them criticising, rather than doing anything,” Koch added.

He followed up with numerous statements from groups working within the system, who represent donors and recipients. “I have got strings and strings of these testimonies that have come in last night since this report. Even the Government authority which measured donation says last night’s claims of fiddling the result was totally inaccurate.”

Koch finished by accusing Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash — who declined his invitation to appear on Sunrise this morning — of caving into lobby groups by ordering an inquiry into the nation’s organ donation system over concerns the transplant rate isn’t rising fast enough.

“The politician in charge of donations, Fiona Nash, has not supported the authority’s program and caved into this rich lobby group and started yet another expensive inquiry into it. It’s an absolute disgrace.

“Fiona Nash, get a backbone. You didn’t even ring me as chairman of your advisory council to get my view or even tell me an inquiry was coming,” he told viewers.

David Koch fired up at Senator Fiona Nash on air, telling her to “get a backbone”.

Koch then promptly resigned from his role live on air. “Obviously, I’ve got no choice but to resign from the position and actively counter the tripe dished out by a whole bunch of rich lobbyists that just talk and do nothing.”

Senator Nash has since responded to Koch’s on air resignation, inviting him to take part in a review of organ donation. She refuted his claim that he had not been made aware of the inquiry, and said in a statement the Department of Health had informed the Organ and Tissue Authority of the review a week ago “and had input into the terms of reference”.

A spokesman for Senator Nash said a health department deputy secretary rang Koch on May 20 to inform him of the review.

“Mr Koch’s unexpected resignation is a loss to the organisation,” she said.

“The review is seeking to establish if there is anything else we can do to improve organ donation rates in Australia and save lives,” Ms Nash added.

“It is always unfortunate to lose people of Mr Koch’s calibre from such a good cause. I acknowledge the great contribution Mr Koch has made to support increased rates of organ donation in Australia and would welcome his input into the review,” the minister said.

A representative from ShareLife has also responded to Koch’s segment, telling news.com.au: “We’re disappointed that Kochie has chosen to attack people rather than sticking to the facts. ShareLife, like all Australians, do have an interest in an inquiry — we think Australians need to know why our organ donation rate is so low, after so much money has been invested to turn it around.

“ShareLife stands for the belief that Australians deserve the same access to transplants as those in countries like Spain and Croatia and Belgium and Portugal. We hope that an inquiry will help the Assistant Minister get to the bottom of what’s gone so badly wrong.”

Koch declined to comment further when contacted by news.com.au this morning.