Calls to reinstate organ donation driver's licence scheme

In 2003 Geoff Jessup had his gall bladder removed.

For the next 10 years, he was fit and well.

But in 2013 he was diagnosed with a gallstone at the site of his previous surgery.

The discovery of the gallstone kickstarted a years-long period of illness, surgeries and life-threatening infections, which culminated in the news that he would need a liver transplant.

"Essentially we'd run out of options," he said.

"I had developed immunities to most of the antibiotics to treat my septicemias and effectively my liver function was dramatically reduced.

"So, I had a liver transplant and I haven't looked back."

A few weeks after the transplant, Mr Jessup met Susan Robson, the woman who would later become his wife.

He moved from Sydney to the New South Wales mid-north coast and is now an accomplished athlete, who has competed at the World Transplant Games.

Nine years after his transplant and living a full life, Mr Jessup, 69, said he would always be grateful to his donor.

"It's the gift of life. To register as an organ donor means you are prepared to help someone live their life, even though you have lost your own," he said.

Driver's licence scheme

While four out of five Australians support organ donation, only about a third of the population is registered.

But there is clear evidence that allowing people to register as organ donors when they apply for or renew their licence leads to an increase in registration.

Following the establishment of a national organ donor register in 2002, the driver's licence registration scheme was phased out in every jurisdiction in Australia, except South Australia, which now leads the nation with the number of registered organ donors.

In South Australia, 74 per cent of the population are organ donors, which is twice the national average.

Chris Thomas is the CEO of Transplant Australia, the organisation that represents donor recipients and their families.

"Let's get it back on the driver's licence. Let's talk to our state governments. Let's show them the benefits of getting people to register through that mechanism," he said.

A Victorian Parliamentary inquiry into organ donation published a report in March 2024 that recommended the state driver's licence donor registration scheme be reinstated.

After questions from the ABC this week — and more than a year after its own self-imposed deadline — the Victorian government announced it would accept all 41 recommendations and tabled a report in parliament on Thursday that would seek to reinstate the scheme next year.

The Northern Territory and the ACT have never had a driver's licence donor registration scheme. 

In a statement, representatives from the governments of New South Wales and Queensland confirmed they had no plans to reinstate it.

After its own parliamentary inquiry into organ donation, Western Australia launched an awareness campaign, which it said had led to a more than 30 per cent increase in donor registration.

The Tasmanian Health Department said national discussions to improve donor registration were underway.

Currently, Australians can register to be organ donors via the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation Authority, Donate Life or on MyGov.

The CEO of DonateLife, Lucinda Barry AM, said the driver's licence scheme needed to be instated, or reinstated, in every state and territory.

"The evidence is clear that by having driver's licence registration [South Australia has] been able to maintain a really high registration rate and that has had an impact," she said.

Need for more registered donors

There was an increase in the number of organ donors in 2024, but there was a decrease in transplant activity, due to factors like donor age and how the donor died.

Mr Thomas said there was a need for more organ donors.

"We've got 1,800 people waiting for an organ transplant at any one time in Australia," he said.

"You've got a further 14,000 people on dialysis and if there were more, you would take some of those people who are on dialysis and move them over to the official waiting list."

Ms Barry said it was also important for those registered to speak to their families.

Next of kin must give consent before their loved ones' organs can be donated.

Those that are aware of the registered donor's intentions are far more likely to give their consent.

"That's what we need people to do — register and talk to their families," Ms Barry said.

"So if you're ever in a situation to become an organ donor, your family knows what you want."

As a recipient, Mr Jessup is aware of the magnitude of such a decision

"I do write letters to my donor and every time I receive a communication from them [their family], it just lifts my spirits so much — I'm in absolute gratitude," he said.

"If I did ever get the opportunity to meet them, well that would be absolutely wonderful to say thank you."