Page 3581 - Week 12 - Thursday, 20 September 1990
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The ACT Community and Health Service has developed posters and pamphlets to complement the cards and stickers. Members may have seen television advertisements, for example.
There are many common questions asked by people about organ donation. The most commonly asked questions are answered in the pamphlet. I have copies here for the information of members. The ACT scheme was developed after extensive consultation by the ACT Community and Health Service with the ACT Department of Urban Services, the Australian Kidney Foundation and the National Heart Foundation (ACT Division). This cooperative liaison has enabled the photographic licence which has been introduced to incorporate a space to place a distinctive blue sticker.
The Department of Urban Services will be actively promoting the scheme by displaying the information materials and distributing them with licence renewals. Pamphlets, cards and stickers will be distributed from health centres and the Health Advancement Service within the ACT Community and Health Service.
Organ donation is indeed a gift of life for many, many people. It can dramatically improve the quality of life for others. I encourage members of the community, including members of this Assembly, to consider the possibility of becoming an organ donor and I invite you to the launch of the ACT scheme tomorrow. Perhaps members here would care to sign a card at that time or take one home to carefully consider how they can contribute to alleviating the pain and suffering experienced by so many of our community who desperately need organ donation to live. Mr Deputy Speaker, I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
MR BERRY (4.14): This is one of the few occasions when I am able to rise in support of the Minister for Health, but there are very good reasons for that.
Mr Collaery: What organs have you got to give?
Ms Follett: He does have a heart.
Mr Collaery: He has a heart!
MR BERRY: Mr Deputy Speaker, if Mr Collaery had the same heart that I have I am sure that we would not be in so much difficulty over the education and health systems in the ACT. This is a progressive move for the ACT and for Territorians, or anybody else around Australia for that matter, who might be in need of a transplant.
As Mr Humphries has said, many lives have been extended with transplants and one would expect that, with progressive plans like this one, many more lives will be extended as a result of changes in technology. But it is
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