Chansey Paech holds back tears honouring Jodie Clarkson for pushing for legal changes

A government Minister has made an emotional speech to parliament thanking a Central Australian woman with brain cancer for her advocacy.

A GOVERNMENT Minister has held back tears as he emotionally pushed for MLAs to support changes to the law to allow organs and blood to be more easily donated to medical researchers

The changes, introduced by Health Minister Natasha Fyles, would amend both the Notifiable Diseases Act 1981 and Transplant and Anatomy Act 1979.

It’s not permitted to retrieve non-regenerative organs such as brains from bodies after death for medical research in the Northern Territory.

In speaking in support of the changes, Local Government Minister Chansey Paech became openly emotional as he spoke about human rights worker Jodie Clarkson.

Ms Clarkson, from Alice Springs, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2017.

Jodie Clarkson.

“Jodie, being Jodie, has advocated, has lobbied and has made her voice known that she wishes to donate her brain for medical research,” Mr Paech said.

“That’s a courageous person.”

Mr Paech said Ms Clarkson’s advocacy had been crucial in getting the changes to parliament.

Ms Clarkson won the 2018 Northern Territory Human Rights Award for her work with Aboriginal people.

“She has a smile that lights up a room, she has the energy that makes you feel like you’re on top of the world when you’re around her,” Mr Paech said.

The changes include streamlining the approval notification process for blood donors and would reduce regulation around the School of Anatomy Code of Practice.

The Opposition Health spokesman Bill Yan told parliament on Thursday morning the proposals were “simple administrative changes” that were “common sense”.

The laws were later passed by the Assembly.

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