Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about Jersey Day and the Nathan Gremmo Community Fund. Many of my colleagues here in this chamber today across all sides have supported this magnificent cause. This year, 2021, will see the seventh year of Jersey Day.

Where did this all begin? I was very touched by this inspirational story. Like many good things in life, its genesis began with a small group of individuals, and, sadly, it followed the tragic death in 2015 of Nathan Gremmo. Thirteen-year-old Nathan was critically injured while crossing the road outside his home in Glenhaven, New South Wales. The next day, in Westmead Hospital, it became clear that Nathan's situation was impossible, and his parents, Michael and Kylie, made the decision to donate Nathan's organs. This decision led to six other people being given the opportunity of life. Ironically, hours before his incident, Nathan had posted on his Instagram account: 'You only live once, but if you do it right once is enough.' Nathan was a young boy full of beans, an active sporting individual with a great sense of humour. That post of Nathan's inspired not just his family but also the wider community and, ultimately, a nation.

Michael and Kylie wanted to honour Nathan's legacy, and the Jersey Day concept was born. The Gremmo Community Fund was an already established fundraising initiative in the hills area of Sydney, led by the Hon. Alan Cadman OAM, Dr Jim Taggart OAM, and the Gremmo family. While many of the efforts of the community fund were focused on assisting people with disabilities, the focus of the organisation soon became Jersey Day and raising awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation. Through Jersey Day, the Nathan Gremmo Community Fund has built a vast network throughout the country which assists in the promotion of Jersey Day, including the Organ and Tissue Authority and state based DonateLife offices. Jersey Day is traditionally held the Friday before Father's Day. This year's Jersey Day will be held on Friday 3 September.

Jersey Day in Australia sees tens of thousands of people from schools, alongside sporting teams through corporate Australia, wearing their favourite NRL, AFL, NBL, Surf Life Saving, netball or even fishing jerseys. Most Australians, as we know, have a sporting jersey in their wardrobe and proudly wear it on such a special day as this not just to remember the active life that Nathan lived but also to promote the discussion of organ and tissue donation. A jersey represents a team, and as Australia we require a team effort to help the 1,400 Australians that are currently waiting on life-saving organ and tissue donation lists. Jersey Day not only promotes organ and tissue registration but also, perhaps more importantly, it encourages families to have a conversation about the topic. Instances of organ and tissue donation are extremely rare, but in the rare instance where this can occur, ultimately your loved ones will be asked to confirm your wishes. This is why these conversations are so important. In the words of Kerry Chikarovski, make sure you've had the conversation with your family so they don't override your wishes.

I'd like to recognise the hundreds of schools and businesses from around the country that have supported Jersey Day, and I'd particularly like to mention from my own state the Perth Glory football team for their support. More importantly, tens of thousands of Australians have been inspired by Jersey Day to have a chat with their families about organ and tissue donation. Of course, we need to reach even more Australians with this important message. Perhaps the most unique feature of Jersey Day is that there is no requirement to raise funds. Schools and businesses can involve their students and staff without the requirement to collect or administer donations. Jersey Day is about raising awareness. Jersey Day is part of the wider DonateLife network. I would like to recognise the Hon. Mal Washer, the national chair of the Organ and Tissue Authority, which is the government authority responsible for coordinating the DonateLife network. Of course, Dr Washer was a member of the other place for many years. In 2021, with a number of east coast states in lockdown, Jersey Day is expanding its network thanks to the Association of Financial Advisers, which is promoting the day across Australia to its members, who are, in turn, able to promote Jersey Day to their staff and clients.

In closing, I would like to ask all Australians to get behind this magnificent cause and to talk to their families, to their loved ones, to their friends and to their associates at work about the importance of organ and tissue registration and donation. By doing so, you can save so many other lives. I'll end with, again, those words from Nathan: 'You only live once, but, if you do it right, once is enough.'