South-West Coast electorate
Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (15:01): (128) My constituency question is for the Minister for Ambulance Services, and the information I seek is for the minister to provide a detailed explanation of why Ambulance Victoria helicopters have ceased landing at Portland hospital helipad and for the risk analysis documents to be made available for public scrutiny and community consultation. Instead of landing on the helipad right in front of the hospital, Ambulance Victoria helicopters are now landing either at the Portland airport, some 14 kilometres from the hospital, or on the oval at Hanlon Park, well over a kilometre from the hospital. We all know that when an Ambulance Victoria helicopter is involved, the stakes are high. Travel times can impact on outcomes, and people can and will die from delays. Minister, can you explain to the South-West Coast community why you have made the alarming decision to ban Ambulance Victoria helicopters from landing at the Portland hospital helipad without adequate stakeholder engagement?