Put simply, people are dying who don’t have to die.
Each year 159,000 people die in Australia, and the government tells us only 2% are suitable people to donate organs.
The government and its self-serving so-called public servants are cribbing. The figures show there were only 1544 donor transplant operations last year, and since there were 159,000 deaths, 2% would mean 3180 donor transplants were available. On even the highly questionable government figures, this would mean that 1636 Australians died, who arguably did not have to die.
I myself have asked my office and my wife to put me down as a donor but this has not happened. We have 69% of the Australian population saying we should all give organs. But only 1% are actually giving organs.
After questioning the minister for health at parliamentary question time I received an answer that proved my case, not his. Whilst leaving the chamber, another member (Liberal) buttonholed me and advised that he had responsibility in this area.
“It is intended that this gets done,” he told me.
“We were in the process of getting all states agreement when the government fell. You must pursue this.”
We shall be moving legislation for the “opt out” policies — that operate in most countries — where all that die have their organs, by law, made available for transplant, unless they specifically request that they do not wish their organs to be sourced.
Australia’s current policy is “opt in”. No one has the right to take your organs, unless you have specifically requested that your organs are available for transplant.
Whilst an improvement in transplant technology is needed, few would deny that thousands of people are dying that just don’t have to die. There nearly 11,000 Australians waiting for a kidney transplant.
The “opt out” system requires one very important exemption. Where the near relatives specify they will not approve a transplant their wishes must prevail.
People are dying who do not have to die.
Bob Katter is the member for Kennedy, Queensland.
Crikey accepts submissions from all sides of politics which are in keeping with our editorial standards.
Bob Katter’s father-in-law is Australia’s largest importer of firearms. I see the connection with people dying who do not have to die. Maybe not quite the connection Bob would make.
Well, this is a genuinely new experience for me……actually agreeing with something Katter has to say. Now, if only he’d stop supporting the government’s racist, neo-liberal ideology, I might actually start to like him.
It must be a trap, or we’ve crossed to another dimension…
We should go further – the state should take responsibility for disposing of the whole body. Currently the interested parties take out the juicy bits, leaving the next of kin to dispose of the remains. Instead, with our medical history online, a steady stream of fresh cadavers could be supplying a production line of medical researchers exploring the endgames of our ailments, breaks, operations, addictions and mysterious diseases that we picked up on holidays overseas. After all that, the body would be only fit for dog food, which isn’t a bad idea either. Packaged up in cans labelled, “Dog’s Best Friend”, we could perform a penultimate service to the community, thence to be spread on the neighbours’ lawns. Thus having fully recycled Grandpa, we mutter a short prayer for the dear departed and tug on the leash to lead the dog away.
A bit of Soylent Green…
This is a good idea, in line with the science. Hope this takes off, because it would change nothing of the voluntary aspect of organ donation yet allow for more donations.
Agreed – just so long as there’s a 72-hour cooling off period in case we want to take them back again.