What is organ donation?
Answer
Agreeing to donate body organs after death
Explanation
Organ donation in Australia is the gift of organs or tissue from a person, either after death or while living, to be transplanted into someone with end-stage organ failure or another serious illness. The system is opt-in, meaning a person must register a positive intention to donate, and family agreement is sought at the time of donation regardless of the registered decision.
The Australian Organ Donor Register is the national registry, operated by Services Australia and accessible through myGov. Australians 16 years and older can register a yes or no decision about donating organs and tissue after death. As of 2024, about 36 per cent of Australians had registered, although surveys consistently show that more than 70 per cent would be willing to donate if asked. The DonateLife network, run by the Organ and Tissue Authority, coordinates national donation services and runs awareness campaigns including DonateLife Week each year.
Australia performed about 1,500 deceased donor transplants in 2023, the highest annual total in the country's history, supported by 530 deceased donors and their families. Each deceased donor can save up to seven lives through transplant of the heart, two lungs, two kidneys, the liver, and the pancreas, plus restoring sight to two people through corneal transplant. Living donation, mostly of one kidney or part of a liver, contributes a further 200 to 300 transplants a year, often between family members.
Two main rules guide donation. First, the next-of-kin must give consent for donation to proceed, even when the deceased had registered as a donor. Talking to family members about donation wishes is therefore as important as registering. Second, all transplants in Australia are allocated through a national system based on medical urgency, blood and tissue compatibility, and waiting time, with no priority based on registration status, social standing, or ability to pay. The Human Tissue Acts in each state and the National Health Act 1953 set the legal framework, and the buying or selling of human organs is prohibited.
Why this matters for your test
Organ donation saves about 1,500 Australian lives each year, and recognising the opt-in register and the role of family consent helps new citizens make and communicate their decision.
Source: Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond (2024)
