Page 1456 - Week 05 - Thursday, 13 May 2021
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Donor families were involved in the drafting of this legislation, they were involved in crafting the wording of the acknowledgement that will be added to the death register and they were involved in the drafting of the wording for the Chief Minister’s letter. They were involved in designing and testing the form that the next of kin will use to request these acknowledgements online.
I want to use this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to DonateLife, Gift of Life, Donor Families Australia and individual families for their willingness to share their expertise, views and personal stories to bring this to reality.
MR PETTERSSON: Minister, how can a loved one of an organ donor apply to have that donation recognised by the ACT government?
MS CHEYNE: I thank Mr Pettersson for the question. If families of organ donors decide they would like these acknowledgements, the next of kin can apply online. The first step is to contact DonateLife ACT to request a donor confirmation letter. Once they receive that letter, the next of kin can fill out one simple online form via the Access Canberra website where they can nominate if they would like to amend the death register and then receive an amended death certificate.
At the same time, or separately, they can also apply to receive a letter from the Chief Minister. Access Canberra aims to process these applications within 15 working days. Importantly, applications are not time limited. Families whose deceased loved one was an organ donor in the ACT before these reforms came into effect have this option available to them.
What might be right for each family can change over time, so at any time after a death certificate has been issued a family can later request it to be amended to include the acknowledgement. There is no time limit for applying for the letter from the Chief Minister either and this does not have to occur at the same time as the request for the amendment to the death register and certificate. There will be no costs to families if they seek a letter from the Chief Minister or, importantly, for an amended death certificate to be reissued.
Municipal services—glyphosates use
MS CLAY: My question is to the Minister for Transport Canberra and City Services. The parliamentary and governing agreement sets out a commitment to reduce the use of glyphosate and other pesticides over the term of this Assembly. This is essential for the health of all Canberrans and of our kids in particular. It is also important for our bees, our wildlife and all living things. I understand that glyphosates are routinely used by TCCS and that they are frequently applied in and around playgrounds. What is the spraying program for glyphosates in and around playgrounds in the ACT?
MR STEEL: I thank Ms Clay for her question about the use of glyphosate in TCCS. While TCCS does not regulate the use of glyphosate—that is not in my portfolio—it is regulated both by the ACT government and federally as well. The ACT government uses glyphosate sparingly and in a range of different applications, mainly to treat invasive weeds that damage native ecosystems, including African lovegrass, serrated
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