Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to congratulate the Aldinga Aero Club for the terrific services they provide to southern Adelaide. On Sunday, 30 March I experienced firsthand how the Aldinga Aero Club touches the lives of the community with their remarkable service. The club has for many years been running special days for the Leukaemia Foundation where they take children on joy flights. Sunday, 30 March was no exception. It was touching to see the joy the Aldinga Aero Club brought to many children diagnosed with leukaemia, and their families, on that day.

The statistics surrounding leukaemia are devastating and demonstrate why it is so vital that we have community groups such as the Aldinga Aero Club. It is estimated that every two hours someone loses their life to leukaemia. Sadly, many of these are young children. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the sponsors who helped make this day possible: LJ Hooker, Aldinga; Bakers Delight; Janas Hair; and the City of Onkaparinga.

The Aldinga Aero Club’s commitment to the community, though, does not stop there. In the past year the Aldinga Aero Club has been involved in supporting Angel Flight Australia. The aero club has over time coordinated with Angel Flight Australia to achieve a number of non-emergency free flights for financially and medically needy people in the southern Adelaide community. The club and its pilots have now flown many times to rural and regional areas of South Australia, making life just that little bit easier for those people with sick family members, to make sure that they receive medical treatment so desperately needed.

One such Angel flight was for Jamie of Loxton. Jamie is seven years of age and her medical condition thus far has not been diagnosed. She suffers from a range of medical conditions, including low muscle tone and severe intellectual disabilities, and is required to be fed through a stomach tube. Jamie’s mum, Trish, has lost count of the number of trips Jamie and her family have made to Adelaide for ongoing medical support. Since Jamie was four months old, she has been taking a painful 4½-hour drive to the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Now with Angel flights it only takes 45 minutes. In Adelaide she is welcomed by the friendly faces of the ground angels, who take her and her family to the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Jamie’s family has been touched by the efforts of the Aldinga Aero Club. The club’s commitment has made such a difference to this family.

The Aldinga Aero Club consists of hardworking volunteers who have helped so many in our community. Volunteers like the members of the aero club are the glue that strengthens our society. I commend all the volunteers, pilots, businesses and community groups involved in supporting the fantastic services that the Aldinga Aero Club provides.

See this speech in context