Victoria is preparing a round of practical changes aimed at lifting organ and tissue donor registrations, with the Victorian Government outlining how it plans to act on a broad set of recommendations handed down by a Parliamentary Inquiry.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas has confirmed the Government will support all 41 recommendations either fully, in principle or in part, with immediate work focused on giving people more chances to register in their daily interactions with state services. A prompt in the Victorian driver licence system will be added so applicants can be directed to the national register, while several Service Victoria cards – including the digital licence – will include links to the Australian Organ Donor Register by mid-2026. A dedicated information page has already gone live on the Service Victoria app and website.
These changes are designed to reverse a three-year slide in the proportion of Victorians registered as donors. Victoria recorded the country’s highest number of deceased organ donors in 2024, yet the overall registration rate has dropped below the national average. The Government argues this mismatch highlights how reliant donation rates can be on the goodwill of families and clinical staff rather than registrations alone.
Officials say the response will be supported by broader community engagement. Areas with historically low donor rates will see targeted awareness campaigns, and more support will be directed to specialist staff who hold sensitive conversations with families. The Government maintains that cultural respect and clear information remain central to improving long-term outcomes.
Advocates generally agree that easier registration pathways can help, although many stress that public trust and clear communication are equally important. Some clinicians have raised concerns over donor expectations when registration numbers fall, but broadly welcome moves that reduce friction for people willing to sign up.
The Government’s action forms part of ongoing national work tied to the Organ and Tissue Authority’s 2022–27 strategy. Victorians who want to register can do so online through DonateLife.
Mary-Anne Thomas says organ donation offers many people a second chance, and that reinforcing Victoria’s long-standing position in donation and transplantation will require steady, visible changes across the system. Government Services Minister Natalie Hutchins added that easier access through Service Victoria fits with a wider shift to online services.
Victorians can sign up here.
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