Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to bring to the attention of the House a charity organisation that has been doing some extremely good work in the Queensland community. The charity is Angel Flight. I wish to draw particular attention to the wonderful contribution that citizens and my electorate on the Sunshine Coast are making to this organisation.

Angel Flight was established in Queensland in 2003 and serves by coordinating non-emergency aeroplane flights for those members of the community who are both medically and financially needy. For example, a young child who lives in outback Queensland who requires medical treatment in Brisbane may face a lengthy and sometimes painful trip by road. In such cases Angel Flight regularly steps in to provide transport by air, making the journey both quicker and more comfortable than would be experienced by road.

The goodwill that is demonstrated by Angel Flight in such circumstances also has an uplifting effect on the patients and their families. The service does not carry medical staff or equipment, as is done by the Flying Doctor, but operates solely as a type of aerial taxi service to ensure that patients in need can get to the medical attention they require on time. Also within its charter, it transports blood and blood products, medical drugs and patient carers for compassionate reasons.

Since its inception, Angel Flight has flown some 1,500 missions for some 800 patients. The pilots donate their time and aircraft to this service. They often donate the fuel that they use, although they do receive sponsorship in this area from Demazin. Sunshine Coast pilots are among those who give of their own time to service the needs of southern Queensland. These pilots include Trevor Steel, who to date has flown 29 missions; Andrew Spall, two missions; Tony Green, one mission; Daryl Jones, four missions; Adrian Anderson, one mission; Scott Simpson, three missions; and Neil Bates, one mission.

These pilots are supported by a division of Angel Flight known as earth angels, people who assist with ground transport by picking up patients and their families from the airport, driving them to their medical appointments and then returning them to the airport for their return flight home. These people all do a tremendous service for the community. There are 25 earth angels on the Sunshine Coast. They also help with fundraising and event assistance.

The exceptional contributions made by Angel Flight were recognised in my electorate at the Fisher Community Australia Day Awards, with the awarding to Angel Flight of the Des Scanlan Memorial Shield. This award is presented by me each year, after deliberation by the Australia Day committee, to an organisation that has devoted itself to meeting a need in the community. It was accepted by Trevor Steel of Angel Flight.

Des Scanlan was one of the Sunshine Coast’s most respected citizens, a tireless worker and a supporter of many community organisations, including lifesaving, the Sunshine Coast Turf Club and many more. He is best known, along with his wife, Barbara, as being the driving force behind the establishment of Australia’s first permanent helicopter rescue service in 1976. It is today known as Energex Community Rescue. I salute Des Scanlan, I salute Angel Flight and I salute all those people in the south-east Queensland community who make such a wonderful contribution to our Sunshine Coast. (Time expired)