I refer to the story appearing on page 2 of The Leader, (October 9) regarding the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and the incident requiring a helicopter with a winch capability.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Up until the member for North Shore and NSW Minister for Health, Jillian Skinner took our helicopter’s winch capability away, our local staff would have been able to retrieve a patient in less than 30 minutes without the drama, time delay and frustration of requesting a replacement helicopter with a winch.
What is particularly galling is the minister’s comment in the last sentence “Winching is a high-risk, specialised activity that requires the deployment of highly-skilled and proficient staff” – almost casting aspersions against the staff at Tamworth, who could capably do the job if only they had a winch.
Of course, Ms Skinner could be forgiven for not understanding the importance of the helicopter and winch to rural people – she resides in one of the most affluent, leafy suburbs of Sydney and probably wouldn’t concern herself with the life and death dramas of people who live in rural environments.
However, she does know our feelings about the winch issue, as the NSW Parliament was presented with a 20,000 strong petition on the issue some time ago.
The rural MPs should be advising their Coalition counterparts that they will enjoy no more support in either chamber until important facilities such as the winch capability of the Tamworth-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter is restored.
Of course, they would put at risk their ministerial, parliamentary secretary, committee and speaker positions, but what price do they personally put on the safety of rural voters and the future of rural NSW?
Mark Rodda
Tamworth