‘Not an emergency helipad’: Defence for MP’s helicopter landing at remote health centre
A call to investigate a taxpayer-funded helicopter ride by Member for Cook David Kempton has been lodged with the Far North MP making a claim on radio to defend the chartered aircraft’s use of a remote emergency helipad.
A call to investigate a taxpayer-funded helicopter ride by Member for Cook David Kempton has been lodged with the Far North MP making a claim on radio to defend the chartered aircraft’s use of a remote emergency helipad.
Member for Cairns Michael Healy has formally requested that the Civil Aviation and Safety Authority investigates an incident earlier this month, where an R-44 aircraft carrying Mr Kempton landed on an emergency helipad at the Cow Bay primary health centre.
The chopper was moved soon after landing.
Mr Kempton cancelled interviews with Channel 7 and a radio station last week and has refused to answer questions from the Cairns Post since the incident was reported.
But the high-flying MP took to the airwaves on Monday morning, telling the ABC’s listeners he had done nothing wrong, labelling reports “a beat up”.
“My electorate is the size of Victoria — 200,000-square metres (sic),” he said.
“It has one road going up the middle, none up either coast, half those roads aren’t sealed. You have the wet season to deal with, driving is difficult at all times.
“I got a quote for $1,300 for a return trip in a helicopter which was half-an-hour each way.”
The aircraft was set to land elsewhere before diverting to the Daintree health centre’s helipad because a horse rider was using a nearby sports field, Mr Kempton said.
He also disputed referring to the Cairns and Hinterland HHS’s landing strip as an emergency helipad.
“It is not an emergency helipad,” Mr Kempton said. “It is a helipad which the state government reserves for emergency landing.”
Health Minister Tim Nicholls and CHHHS both confirmed last week that hospital and health centres helipads shouldn’t be used by other aircraft.
In a letter to CASA CEO Pip Spence sent last Friday, Mr Healy requested that authorities investigate whether the landing complied with regulations and civil aviation law.
“These actions raise serious concerns about aviation safety, compliance with landing protocols and potential risks to public health and emergency services operations,” Mr Healy said.
Mr Kempton said he had chosen not to discuss the matter last week because he was too busy.
“I had an incredibly full week,” he said. “I may have handled the communication differently but I didn’t really understand what the storm was about until it all just got ridiculous.”
A CASA spokesman wouldn’t confirm if it was investigating the matter.
“It is inappropriate for CASA to comment on individual cases,” he said. “We publish any enforcement actions we take on our website.”
It is expected that the LNP will face questions in relation to Mr Kempton’s use of helicopters in parliament this week.
Originally published as ‘Not an emergency helipad’: Defence for MP’s helicopter landing at remote health centre
