Westpac helicopter & CareFlight need your help

C'mon you people don't let the polies get their way.

Signed,

Geoff

Signed, 17,000 odd so far...

I am no longer in this industry, but the Canadian company has a strong presence in Australia. This presence is largely though the acquisition of an Australian company some years ago, Lloyd’s Helicopters. Lloyd’s (and now CHC) have a strong presence in the EMS and SAR roles in Oz and sourced a lot of their initial skill’s base from the NSCA – National Safety Council of Australia.
The NSCA lead the way in EMS, SAR and aerial fire fighting – sadly Fredo also lead the way in fraud.
It is interesting to note that the fed gvt. have finally come to realize the foresight of the NSCA in the aerial fire fighting role and now funds the seasonal import of equipment (as the NSCA did in the 80’s).
I think the EMS and SAR roles should be solely funded by government and services supplied by competent providers. If this happens to be a community group, well and good, but they should be assessed on merit, professionalism and cost effective delivery of service rather then their attachment to the community.
Essential Services such as these depending on commmunity donations for their survival are another form of hidden gvt tax.

Paul.

Whilst any helicopter rescue service is considered vital these days to improve the chances of survival for many injured in remote areas, and no price should ever be place on a life, it seems misleading to say that the new service will cost 10 to 16 times more.

From the Careflight website:

CareFlight has consistently met all its waiting time targets over 20 years on an annual budget from the Government of just $2.3-million. CareFlight approached NSW Health a year ago seeking an additional $750,000 to fund a larger aircraft and help reduce patient waiting times. NSW Health refused to provide any funds and suggested CareFlight “should sell its larger helicopter” if funding was a problem. Now the Government has announced it can find $23-million a year over 9 years ($187-million more than funding for CareFlight) to fund a profit-making Canadian multinational that answers only to its shareholders.

From a website supporting the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service:

We are funded by the NSW Department of Health, corporate sponsorship and the community. Our annual budget is $6.5 million. We have to raise over $2.5 million from the community.

Just a simple addition gives an approximate costs of $6.3m (2.3+4.0) v's $23m per annum for 4 helicopters.....nothing like 10/16 times more, even though it is a substantial increase none-the-less.

An interesting read should be had of the following official media release, especially the part with regards to staffing arrangements (there seems to be no issues with loosing Doctors etc) :

http://careflight.org/_pdf/2006-12-08_dept_health_media_announcement.pdf

At the end of the day, $23m a year is peanuts for the government and should be spent on a quality service.....whether that should be given to the current providers, or to an alternative provider, is a question that is open to debate. I would think that a better option now should have been to increase the current funding of the providers to offset 100% of costs and to the point where they do not need to fundraise AND increase the service obligations at the same time (eg. new aircraft timeframes, etc), though i take it NSW Government Procurement Policy requirements would not allow this to happen.

Andrew

Signed as number 17498, so keep them coming guy's.....Let's keep what is little is left to be owned and run by Australians for Australians......

Well done Guys, keep it coming.

Both services supply and have done for a long time with minimum funding an absolute first class service. Why in hell don't the pollies fund them?????
Our club has made donations to Careflight for the 7 years of our existence.
Careflight are at the world forefront of brain injury treatment, young Sophie D is proof positive of that.

Don't talk about better service from a foreign company. Help an Australian crew with a proven record.!MPG:51!

Not from NSW but ill sign anyway!
While were on the petition signing thing...
Someone in Vic. should start petitioning the Gov. to stop aid to Korea and buy a couple of Sky Cranes for those bushfires instead???

Cheers

So what is the story behind this? It's easy to say 'stupid incompetant government or public service', but what is the reason the government is giving.

They must believe they are getting something that the current provider can't give. A better or different service? An ability to scale up quickly in the event of a major disaster? A cheaper price? (doesn't seem so).

There must be a reason, even if it is not a good one. I'm like many others. Have grown to trust and respect the Careflight system, but I'd like to understand the issues a bit better.

I think that the Govts rationale in amalgamating rescue helicopter services under the one contract is obviously in the best interest of everybody in NSW.

The aeromedical system in NSW is ever growing, needing aircraft which can keep up with the increasing workload and distances needed .

I'm afraid neither Lifesaver or Careflight have been able to keep pace with the load over the last couple of years.

You must remember the debacle of the Wollongong rescue helicopter where Lifesaver management botched its commitment to the area, and who stepped up and supplied helicopter services to the Illawarra? Yes CHC.

Careflight couldnt maintain their large bell 412 helicopter , so they sold it and bought a second hand BK117 which most of their senior doctors wont fly in because of safety issues.

Please seek some facts before carrying on about CHC. They have been operating in Australia for many years. They run the Southcare helicopter in the ACT and the helicopter at Wollongong .
The new contract will supply 24 hour rescue helicopter services to Sydney Wollongong and the central west at Orange. The helicopters will be bigger ,faster and more capable of flying in weather conditions

Singed ! 18175 now .

More and more interesting,

Please support my shareholders, Link Everyday there seems to be something a little more dodgy revealed.

Geoff

Well I'm 18400 something.

Great service - great country - keep it OWNED AND RUN by AUSSIES Jobs to the AUSSIES.

Brian

Signed 19637 and counting.......

I never new Errol Flynn had so many relo's in politics.