An organ donor expert has backed Sunrise presenter David Koch's tirade against an inquiry into the donation system, labelling it a "waste of money".
Professor Geoff Dobb worked with Koch on the advisory council of the Organ and Tissue Authority (OTA) until the Seven Network presenter quit his role as chairman on national television on Wednesday.
Koch claims the federal government has bowed to pressure from lobby groups in ordering an inquiry into the OTA, calling the situation an "absolute disgrace".
Prof Dobb told the Australian Medical Association national conference in Brisbane on Sunday the inquiry was a "waste of money" and would probably reach the same findings as a previous inquiry that only reported in April.
He said the OTA was a small organisation of 30 staff that had already been the subject of two significant inquiries since it was established in 2009 by then prime minister Kevin Rudd.
"It does not consume a lot of money but in its short life it has achieved a 50 per cent increase in the organ and tissue donation rates around Australia," he said.
Koch says he was not consulted about the review and accused Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash of having "caved in to this rich lobby group, and started yet another expensive inquiry".
"Fiona Nash, get a backbone," Koch said.
Senator Nash has ordered Ernst and Young to investigate the failure of the OTA to make significant headway on a target of 25 donors per million people by 2018.
A spokesman for Senator Nash said on Wednesday a health department deputy secretary rang Koch on May 20 to inform him of the review.
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