Andy Tookey and daughter Katie, 5, who has liver disease, on Parliament's steps. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Organ donor campaigner Andy Tookey is worried the Government will kill off his bid to increase such donations, regardless of what the health select committee recommends.
Mr Tookey appeared before the committee yesterday in support of a bill, which he co-authored, that would create a register of those
wanting to donate organs.
People would choose to be a full donor, partial donor, non-donor or to defer the decision to a nominated party.
He said the register would increase the number of organ donors - New Zealand has one of the lowest rates in the developed world - and respect a person's autonomy.
Opponents question whether it would make any difference to donor numbers and have concerns that cultural values may be ignored.
Mr Tookey, whose daughter Kate has a liver disease - is opposing the Government's bill - also before the committee - which would allow families to veto an individual donor's wishes on spiritual or cultural grounds.
After the meeting, Mr Tookey said: "My concern is that, because they're considering a Government bill and a private member's bill, the Government members will vote along party lines and go with its bill.
"There's been instances recently [such as the proposal to raise the legal alcohol-purchase age] when the Government ignored select committees and did their own thing anyway."
At the meeting, Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia grilled Mr Tookey on whether the register would override the cultural values of the deceased's family.
Mr Tookey said: "People who sign up to be a donor have obviously taken into account their cultural or religious views.
"Maybe I am dismissive of the culture and the spiritual [values] ... why should my family's religion or culture supersede my lack of one? Why should they be able to veto my wish?"
He said a person willing to donate all their organs could save up to seven lives or improve the quality of life of up to 30 people. The register would resemble those in Australia, Britain and several US states.
Mr Tookey said since Organ Donation New Zealand was granted more funding, donor numbers had fallen from 40 in 2003 to 25 last year.
"The committee urgently recommended a public awareness campaign but nothing to date has been done."
He believed the register would do away with two layers of red tape and allow donors the right to exercise their wishes.
