The West Australian government says that it will pay for a former heroin addict -- whose first liver transplant failed when she returned to taking drugs -- to travel to New Zealand for a second transplant.
Claire Murray, 24, has been told she will die within six months without another liver transplant -- but has been barred from the WA liver transplant list because of her drug taking.
The WA Transplant panel refused to reinstate mother-of-two Ms Murray, but state Health Minister Kim Hames said his government was willing to pay for Ms Murray to fly to New Zealand to be assessed for a transplant on this side of the Tasman.
Her father Michael Murray, has said he would be willing to give her a third of his own liver, if surgeons say he is compatible.
One donor in 100 in such one-on-one transplants dies, but Mr Murray told the West Australian newspaper: "As her father I'm prepared to give my life so my daughter will live".
Dr Hames said he was prepared to set a precedent and pay for Ms Claire Murray and her parents to fly to New Zealand for assessment for a life-saving operation, and to consider paying for part of the estimated $A230,000 ($NZ296,000) cost of transplant surgery.
"I've again briefly discussed that with the family and they are happy," he said.
"You always hope when you set a precedent that it's sufficiently different from everything else so it won't set a precedent, I'm obviously taking a risk," Dr Hames said.
He said it was not an option to do nothing for the young mother.
"At the end of the day I'm considering this case on it's merits and with some compassion," he said.
Dr Hames said if the Murrays were assessed as compatible for a transplant the government would consider what contribution it would make to the cost of the operation.
