Member for Mallee Anne Webster is encouraging Mallee residents to register with DonateLife to be an organ donor during DonateLife week, as she marks five years since her first speech in Federal Parliament promoting organ donation.

“My first speech on August 1, 2019 coincided with DonateLife week, where I spoke about our first granddaughter Emmeline who received a liver transplant at the tender age of 14 months,” Dr Webster said.

“The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne was her home for months, and the care she received was exceptional. 

“I am proud of her and we are so grateful to her donor and their family for their gift of life.” 

Dr Webster’s renewed call for improved organ donation comes as recent data highlights a lower-than-average donor registration in parts of the Mallee electorate.

A Victorian Parliament report published in March showed Mildura Rural City Council area had the lowest reported organ donor registration rate of all regional Victorian shires, at 22 per cent.  

The national average is 36 per cent.

“South Australia’s organ donor registration rate is 72 per cent, as it is the only state where donor registration can be recorded when registering or renewing your driver’s licence,” Dr Webster said.

“We need national leadership to encourage all states and territories to adopt this life-saving reform.”

To date, 1396 Australians have received organ transplants, including 831 kidney transplants and 129 heart transplants, 2486 corneal transplants and 253 have received liver transplants.

Dr Webster is co-chair with Labor Member of Parliament Mike Freelander of the Parliamentary Friends of Organ Donation, and is preparing another event to promote the Australian Transplant Games from October 1 to 6.

People can register with DonateLife on website donatelife.gov.au/register-donor-today or via the Medicare app.

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