While four out of five Australians support organ donation, only about a third of the population is currently registered. Following the establishment of the national organ donor register in 2002, the driver licence registration scheme was phased out in every jurisdiction except South Australia — which now leads the nation, with 74 per cent of its population registered as organ donors, twice the national average. With almost 2,000 Australians waiting for a transplant, improving the national organ donor registration is critical.
In light of constituent concerns regarding the removal of organ donation registration from Queensland driver licences, we contacted the Minister for Transport and Main Roads seeking clarification on what steps are being taken to strengthen organ donor registration in Queensland.
In response the Department of Transport and Main Roads has advised:
I can advise the Queensland Government is currently considering measures to support organ donation.
To encourage organ donor registration in Queensland, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has already introduced quick and easy links to the Donatelife registration portal. These links are featured on TMR’s website at www.qld.gov.au/transport/licensing as well as on other pages, and are included within several high volume online services, such as driver licence renewals and vehicle registration renewals. This Australia-first initiative resulted in a notable increase in registered organ donors.
It is appreciated that the Queensland government is acting to improve organ donor registration, with the Minister for Customer Services and Open Data also recently confirming that the government will reinstate the ability to register as an organ donor during driver licence applications and renewals.
Reinstating the Driver Licence Tick‑Box
As reported in the Courier Mail on 29 March 2026, the Minister for Customer Services and Open Data has publicly stated that the Queensland government will bring back the “tick‑the‑box” option to register as an organ donor when renewing or applying for a driver’s licence.
The Minister has advised that work is now underway to embed clearer options for becoming an organ donor across both digital and physical licence systems. Some elements will require technical changes, which are currently being scoped to determine what can be implemented quickly and what will require longer‑term system upgrades.
Ongoing Advocacy
We will seek further clarification from the Minister for Customer Services and Open Data and the Minister for Transport and Main Roads regarding the timeframes for the Government to reinstate the licence‑based organ donor registration option, including the technical upgrades required to support implementation.
Community feedback remains invaluable in shaping this advocacy, and we welcome any further insights from residents who have been personally affected by organ donation or transplant wait times.
Further Information
To register as an organ and tissue donor visit: www.donatelife.gov.au/register-donor-today
Should you wish to advocate directly with the Ministers responsible for this issue you can contact:
the Minister for Customer Services and Open Data at: customerandbusiness@ministerial.qld.gov.au
or the Minister for Transport and Main Roads at: transportandmainroads@ministerial.qld.gov.au
Please copy our office via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au and forward any responses you receive.
Updates on many local matters are available on Noosa 360 at www.sandybolton.com/noosa360. To receive information straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our monthly newsletter via www.sandybolton.com/newsletters. This also ensures you receive any future Noosa related surveys or polls.