❓ Ms Warr questions the allocation of funds for rescue helicopters in Perth and Bunbury, while the Mid West lacks a dedicated service, despite expert advice. The Minister defends the allocation by highlighting the enhanced capabilities and coverage of the new helicopters.
AnsweredQoN 305Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Emergency helicopters—Operations
305. Ms Kirrilee Warr to
the Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to the 2022 Chief Health Officer's Inquiry into Aeromedical Services
in Western Australia and repeated advice from the Department of Fire and
Emergency Services and the State Coroner all calling for an urgent expansion of
the rescue helicopter fleet into the Mid West.
(1) Why has the government committed $26.7 million
for new rescue helicopters based in Perth and Bunbury while continuing to deny
the Mid West a single dedicated rescue helicopter service?
(2) How does the minister justify ignoring the
clear, consistent advice of his own agency that a Mid West rescue helicopter is
urgently needed to save lives?
305. Ms Kirrilee Warr to
the Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to the 2022 Chief Health Officer's Inquiry into Aeromedical Services
in Western Australia and repeated advice from the Department of Fire and
Emergency Services and the State Coroner all calling for an urgent expansion of
the rescue helicopter fleet into the Mid West.
(1) Why has the government committed $26.7 million
for new rescue helicopters based in Perth and Bunbury while continuing to deny
the Mid West a single dedicated rescue helicopter service?
(2) How does the minister justify ignoring the
clear, consistent advice of his own agency that a Mid West rescue helicopter is
urgently needed to save lives?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for her
question about our wonderful new emergency rescue helicopters, which are the
best in the world, I have to add. As advised to me by the flight crew who are
operating them, they are the equal of any in the world. They are the best in
the country, but they are not just that. They were built in Milan in Italy.
They are stylish—not like those Greek ones—and they are the
best in the world. The Greek ones are probably good too, I do not know! The
helicopters we talked about yesterday and drew to people's attention are not
located in Bunbury or Jandakot because the Minister for Emergency Services
thinks that is a good place to put them. The reason they are there, and the
reason we have a third one, is that they have enhanced capability. They fly 40%
further. They can get to Dongara and return without having to refuel. Fuel is
obviously cached in places like Geraldton, so that enables them to operate in
and cover points further north. Fuel is cached right around the state, so they
can go anywhere, really. These aircraft are quite extraordinary. They have twin
engines, so they have redundancy. They can get to Albany and back on the same
tank of fuel. They are extraordinary aircraft. They are placed in those
locations because the operators determine that that provides the greatest
coverage of population in Western Australia. As I was advised yesterday, having
them in those locations enables them to provide coverage to 91% of the state's
population.
Mr Shane Love: Too bad for the other 9%.
Mr Paul Papalia: By covering 91%—
Mr Shane Love interjected.
Mr Paul Papalia: Let me finish, member for Mid-West.
The Speaker: Member for Mid-West!
Mr Paul Papalia: Member for Mid-West, everyone says I
interrupt. You are as bad as me!
Ms Rita Saffioti: That is saying something!
Mr Paul Papalia: And that is saying something! Thanks,
cabinet!
That is on one tank
of fuel. Obviously, they can cover the entire state using caches of fuel. They
can cover 91% and make a return flight without having to refuel, and obviously we
want to go for the majority of the state, the vast majority of the population
and the most likelihood of use.
That aside, in the
event that there is an enhanced demand, an uplift in demand points further
north, particularly in the member for Geraldton's own electorate—good
on her for advocating for it—are not excluded; they are not omitted.
There is a third aircraft that could potentially surge or they can shift the
location. Those are the bases. What I said yesterday was that the basing and
operation of those aircraft should be left to the operators and not determined
by gobby members of Parliament like myself.
question about our wonderful new emergency rescue helicopters, which are the
best in the world, I have to add. As advised to me by the flight crew who are
operating them, they are the equal of any in the world. They are the best in
the country, but they are not just that. They were built in Milan in Italy.
They are stylish—not like those Greek ones—and they are the
best in the world. The Greek ones are probably good too, I do not know! The
helicopters we talked about yesterday and drew to people's attention are not
located in Bunbury or Jandakot because the Minister for Emergency Services
thinks that is a good place to put them. The reason they are there, and the
reason we have a third one, is that they have enhanced capability. They fly 40%
further. They can get to Dongara and return without having to refuel. Fuel is
obviously cached in places like Geraldton, so that enables them to operate in
and cover points further north. Fuel is cached right around the state, so they
can go anywhere, really. These aircraft are quite extraordinary. They have twin
engines, so they have redundancy. They can get to Albany and back on the same
tank of fuel. They are extraordinary aircraft. They are placed in those
locations because the operators determine that that provides the greatest
coverage of population in Western Australia. As I was advised yesterday, having
them in those locations enables them to provide coverage to 91% of the state's
population.
Mr Shane Love: Too bad for the other 9%.
Mr Paul Papalia: By covering 91%—
Mr Shane Love interjected.
Mr Paul Papalia: Let me finish, member for Mid-West.
The Speaker: Member for Mid-West!
Mr Paul Papalia: Member for Mid-West, everyone says I
interrupt. You are as bad as me!
Ms Rita Saffioti: That is saying something!
Mr Paul Papalia: And that is saying something! Thanks,
cabinet!
That is on one tank
of fuel. Obviously, they can cover the entire state using caches of fuel. They
can cover 91% and make a return flight without having to refuel, and obviously we
want to go for the majority of the state, the vast majority of the population
and the most likelihood of use.
That aside, in the
event that there is an enhanced demand, an uplift in demand points further
north, particularly in the member for Geraldton's own electorate—good
on her for advocating for it—are not excluded; they are not omitted.
There is a third aircraft that could potentially surge or they can shift the
location. Those are the bases. What I said yesterday was that the basing and
operation of those aircraft should be left to the operators and not determined
by gobby members of Parliament like myself.
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