[Greens-Media] Media Alert: 70, 000 strong organ harvesting petition 11.30 am today

[David Shoebridge]

Media Alert

70,000 strong petition calls for an end to illegal organ harvesting

Greens NSW MP David Shoebridge will present a petition with a further
70,000 signatures to the NSW Upper House tomorrow. In May this year the
same petition was presented to parliament with over 100,000 signatures,
bringing the total amount to a now staggering 170,000.

The petition calls for law reform to make it illegal for someone from NSW
to go overseas and receive an organ which has been removed forcibly or
unethically trafficked.

Following the presentation of the petition in the Upper House at 10AM, Mr
Shoebridge will be joined by members of the community who were responsible
for achieving the historic petition and speak about the issue of forced
organ harvesting.

WHEN: 11.30 am 27 November 2013
WHERE: Parkes Room, NSW Parliament House, Macquarie St Sydney
WHO: Greens NSW MP David Shoebridge, members of the Falun Gong.

Mr Shoebridge will also be publicly releasing the Human Tissue Amendment
(Trafficking in Human Organs) Bill 2013 this week, which seeks to address
this issue.  Greens NSW Justice spokesperson David Shoebridge said:

"The public response to this issue has been incredible, and makes clear the
significance and importance of the issue.

"The legislation we are introducing will create specific offences for
people from NSW to go overseas and receive an organ which has been removed
forcibly or unethically trafficked.

"This law reform is crucial in highlighting the injustice of the global
organ trade. At its worst organ harvesting can see people killed to order,
with one person's life being deliberately taken to save another.

"We hope all members of parliament to support this law reform on the basis
that it is a basic human rights issue," Mr Shoebridge said.

Media contact: David Shoebridge 9230 3030