Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker Landry, you would know better than most that the Royal Flying Doctor Service is the lifeline of our communities. They provide the vital emergency help we need when things go wrong out in the regions. But, if you are unlucky enough to need the RFDS near Norseman, their job becomes a whole lot harder. Norseman is the major town in the Shire of Dundas, situated 726 kilometres from Perth. It is the eastern gateway to WA and is a major stopping point for travellers to and from the eastern states. The nearest city is Kalgoorlie-Boulder, a two-hour drive away, and there is frequent travel between Kalgoorlie and Esperance.

Norseman has an airstrip that lies on Lake Cowan and, in its current condition, after only a few millimetres of rain the runways are rendered unfit for landing and take-off. This means that, if there is a requirement for aero-medical services, planes cannot land. Access to the RFDS is critical not only for Norseman residents but also for mining and industrial accidents and severe road trauma that occurs across the Nullarbor and between Kalgoorlie and Esperance.

Accidents are not uncommon in the regions, with more than 56 per cent of fatalities occurring in regional WA despite just 22 per cent of the population living there. Single vehicle run-off is the dominant crash type across the state, at 54 per cent, and even higher in the regions, at 64 per cent. According to an RAC analysis, there were 16 fatalities in the Goldfields-Esperance region in 2014. This is nearly four times the state fatality rate and 6.5 times the metropolitan rate. According to Main Roads data, there were 120 crashes on the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway from 2010 to 2014, and five of these were fatal.

We need to get this issue fixed as quickly as we can. But, as with all infrastructure projects, it is a funding issue. The Shire of Dundas have come to the party by committing to the project. They recently moved a motion in a council meeting to raise a $1.5 million loan to accompany any government funding secured. But they need another $1.5 million to complete the all-weather airstrip, and that is where I come in. I am working with the Dundas shire to make sure they apply for funding through the right channels. I have spoken to the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development to make sure he knows how important this issue is.

That is why today I am launching the Norseman airstrip social media campaign. If we can demonstrate that people care about this issue and feel strongly enough about it, that gives us a better chance of getting the funding. I have started a petition in support of the upgrade of the Norseman airstrip and you can find it on my website: www.rickwilson.com.au.

I want to make sure that Canberra understands how important this issue is to our community, so I urge all Goldfields residents to support our campaign to upgrade the airstrip. You never know when you or a family member, a friend or even a complete stranger might need the RFDS to come to help near Norseman. It could literally be a matter of life and death. Together we can fight for this vital infrastructure project for our local community.