Royal Flying Doctor Service

The Hon. JENNIFER GARDINER [11.46 p.m.]: In August 1917 a stockman named Jimmy Darcy was hurt badly in a fall in the isolated north-west of Western Australia. Found by his friends, he had to be transported 30 miles, as they said in those days, a 12-hour journey, to the nearest town of Falls Creek where there was no doctor and only one person who knew first aid—the postmaster named F. W. Tuckett. A doctor in Perth relayed instructions via telegraph to Tuckett, who was forced to carry out two bladder operations with a penknife. When a doctor finally arrived 10 days later Darcy, weakened by malaria and an abscessed appendix, had passed away. The tragedy became news across the country, despite the First World War raging in Europe at the time, and prompted calls for permanent doctors and nurses to be stationed in the outback.

The incident came to the attention of a Victorian man, Reverend John Flynn, who had been working in remote areas of South Australia and Western Australia, setting up bush hospitals and hostels to ease the burden on inland settlers. In 1912 Reverend Flynn was appointed the first superintendent of the Australian Inland Mission—the bush department of the Presbyterian Church. The rapid development of the aeroplane and its use in the war in Europe had given Flynn an idea: Why not use planes to fly medical help to where it was needed? A young medical student and soon-to-be military aviator in Victoria, Lieutenant Clifford Peel, heard of Flynn's ideas and wrote him a letter from a boat that was taking him to fight in the First World War. Peel argued that planes could overcome all the transport difficulties of the inland and, in particular, argued for "a missionary doctor administering to the needs of the men and women scattered between Wyndham and Cloncurry, Darwin and Maree".

Reverend Flynn was so impressed by the young man's ideas that he had them published in the church's magazine, Inland. Support for the idea began to grow and eventually Flynn had accrued enough funds to set up the Australian Inland Mission flying doctor service. Lieutenant Clifford Peel was killed flying over German lines near end of the First World War in late 1918—90 years ago—and he was never to know the impact of his letter. Flynn's flying doctor program grew into the Royal Flying Doctor Service, which now treats hundreds of patients every day.

Today the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia is divided into four divisions. New South Wales is covered by its South-East Section. The South-East Section has air bases in Dubbo, Broken Hill and Sydney, which service 47 Beechcraft King Air 200C twin turbo prop aircraft. This is a renowned aircraft across the world operating in both civilian and military roles. The South-East Section employs 36 doctors, a medical specialist, 23 registered nurses and 53 pilots. Together they flew more than 21 million kilometres last financial year and treated an average of 630 patients a day. Pilots are often required to land under difficult conditions such as short, dirt airstrips lit by petrol fires and car headlights.

Continuing pressures of drought and isolation in more distant areas have led to the need for increased mental health services across Australia. The Royal Flying Doctor Service recognises the need to increase the emotional, as well as physical, wellbeing of its patients and must continue to receive support to ensure it can further develop its mental health programs. In April last year, the Howard-Vaile Federal Government announced increased funding of $154.4 million to the Royal Flying Doctor Service, which would have brought the Federal Government's funding support to $247 million from 2007 to 2011. Mark Vaile's announcement at that time was in keeping with the strong support of the Royal Flying Doctor Service over the years by members of The Nationals, with some of the keenest supporters being former members of this House; for example, the Hon. Rick Bull, the Hon. Doug Moppett, the Hon. Jack Doohan, OBE, and the Hon. Judy Jakins.

I congratulate the Royal Flying Doctors Service on its eightieth anniversary this year. I also take this opportunity to remind all governments of the need to continue to support this vital service to Australians in regional and remote locations across the country. The Royal Flying Doctor Service has generated great affection, loyalty and respect for its life-saving role. It is not too much to say that it is an Australian icon, and it is a service that we should never take for granted.