Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am incredibly proud of corporate Canberra for its recent efforts in promoting organ donor awareness. A firm in my electorate, KazarSlaven, take their social conscience seriously. Led by Henry Kazar and Michael Slaven, they have become a friend of DonateLife and take every opportunity to promote a cause that is close to my heart. Lyndell Kazar manages their community activism and organised a regional team to participate in this year's City to Surf in Sydney.

These are people who have nothing to do with organ donation—they are neither recipients nor donors. Like me, they are touched by the many stories of people dying on waiting lists. The team was 50 strong and came from corporate Canberra and Goulburn. Their camaraderie was strong—they wore shirts with the DonateLife logo on them—and their bond was cemented on the bus trip to Sydney. They had a team dinner where one of Canberra's organ donor advocates encouraged them not to sample the tastes of the big smoke but to get to bed early. The message was heeded.

This is the third year our regional team has participated and many personal bests were achieved; in particular, Dan del Rio completed the course in 65 minutes. Times were not the purpose, however. It was about people on the route having a conversation about organ and tissue donation. Many of the 80,000 participants noticed this team and commented on their commitment to organ donation. I thank these foot soldiers and urge others to get involved in ensuring that all Australians have had the conversation with their loved ones.