Natarsha Belling

During the same event last year, the winning robot took two hours and 40 minutes to cross the finish line.

Now it's time to get into our deep dive on the changes to blood and plasma donations in Australia.

From today, donors, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation, will be eligible to donate, meaning thousands more people will be able to give life-changing and saving donations.

Gemma Falcon-Meyer from Red Cross Lifeblood joins us to explain the changes and her important new message for Australians wanting to make a difference.

Gemma, thanks so much for joining us.

Some pretty historic changes effective from today for people who want to donate blood.

Tell us what these changes are.

Many would say these old rules, which we understand were enforced from the 1980s, were very discriminatory.

Why has it taken so long for these changes to occur, Gemma?

And what kind of difference will this make, Gemma?

What type of boost do you think you're predicting or expecting by having all of these new wonderful donors able to give this really important gift to so many?

And Gemma, it's just not about blood donations you mentioned there, it's about plasma donations.

How many lives are saved every year?

You mentioned about, I think it was 20,000 and that could be 60,000 lives.

Many of us don't know how life-saving these donations are until unfortunately we are in the position where we know that they can save and change lives.

So take us through some of the diseases or situations these donations can help.

And you mentioned before it can help people that have obviously been in accidents and lost a lot of blood, but also new mums.

Can you explain some of the other people that blood donations and plasma donations can help?

Gemma, in regards to also there was so much misinformation about the safety and regulations surrounding blood donation and blood transfusions or transfusions with plasma as well.

Can you explain that this is an incredibly safe and reliable process, whether you're donating or whether you're receiving this?