RACQ CQ Rescue 25th Anniversary

Tonight I am very proud to stand in the House to acknowledge the 25th silver anniversary celebration of RACQ CQ Rescue which I attended. This service, which operates across my community, commenced operations in September 1996. It has come a long way from operating out of a demountable building that flooded when it rained to a dynamic, not-for-profit organisation now boasting two aircraft with advanced avionics and an amazing state-of-the-art facility at the Mackay Airport with an operating budget of $10.5 million.

The stories that were told were quite incredible and I want to acknowledge Dr Peter Bastable and Dr Bert Sadlier, who have both spent a large majority of their careers working tirelessly to ensure that this community has a world-class aeromedical service. Chairman Chris Wright along with Mayor Greg Williamson, who has also been there from the start, paid recognition to those two doctors who started out as part of the medical crew, had a vision and now serve on the board of RACQ CQ Rescue.

I also acknowledge the support of the naming rights sponsor, RACQ, and in particular the $5 million that is raised from community and corporate partnerships from the Bowen Basin to the islands of the Great Barrier Reef that these two helicopters serve. I acknowledge the work of the staff, of the crewmen, of the administration team and those who are out fundraising and all of the community organisations and businesses that contribute to this lifesaving service.

I also want to acknowledge a local specialist, Dr Bill Boyd, who was also acknowledged on the night, who was the doctor who received the very first patient in Mackay from an island in the Whitsundays. This patient had an ectopic pregnancy and would have lost her life had it not been for the CQ Rescue chopper that was able to save her from having a very long boat trip into the Whitsundays and then a very bumpy ambulance ride down the Bruce Highway. The CQ Rescue chopper has delivered almost 10,000 missions in the last 25 years and has touched the lives of many and in particular supported our mining and resource community as well as our tourism community with significant lifesaving results.

On behalf of my community, the Mackay and greater Whitsunday region, I want to acknowledge the service of all of those with the CQ Rescue team. I also want to acknowledge Queensland Health, the Queensland Ambulance Service, Volunteer Marine Rescue, QFES and Maritime Safety Queensland.