The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: I move, contingently, on the Transplantation and Anatomy (Disclosure of Information and Delegation) Amendment Bill being read a second time:
That it be an instruction to the Committee of the Whole Council on the bill that it have power to consider a new clause relating to mandatory notification of overseas transplant.
I move this contingent notice of motion noting that, while I do not necessarily expect support for the clause, the amendment that I seek to make today in regard to the disclosure of information, in particular mandatory notifications where there has been an overseas transplant, has the intention of raising an important issue, namely, that I feel that in the future it would be a really productive conversation to continue the work of the joint parliamentary select committee of some years ago to address the issue of organ harvesting.
There have been many recommendations, both from that committee's report and at a federal level, to address this scourge, the human rights abuse of forced organ harvesting, particularly as documented in, for example, prison camps in some countries. It might seem to somebody who is desperate for an organ that to travel overseas to acquire one might be an option for them if they are on a very long waiting list or they feel that they have no other options. However, this state and this nation have said that we will not abide the human rights abuses that come from forced organ harvesting.
We are taking measures at a federal level, and I would hope at a state level, to address that really important issue. At the federal level, I note that there has been a previous debate in recent months in regard to organ transplantation being declared on custom forms; that is, should somebody have gone overseas and had an organ transplant, that they declare it on their customs declaration card. This would go some way towards ensuring, at a state level through our health system, that mandatory notification of an overseas transplant is required of an appropriate medical practitioner if they have a reasonable belief that a patient has received an organ in a country outside of Australia.
I will move the amendment when we get to that point, but I will make the case now that I do not expect anyone to necessarily support this today. But I would hope that everyone will give consideration to coming back at a future date, with a different bill perhaps, to work collaboratively and cross-party on this really important issue of human rights abuses that are obviously happening beyond our shores but for which there are things that we can do here in South Australia to address it and stop the scourge of it.