Crook stands down as RFDS Chair for election campaign

Author: Tony Crook
Published on: 20-June-2008

The Nationals candidate for Kalgoorlie Tony Crook has announced that he will stand down as chair of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Western Operations) until after the State election.

“I remain committed to the Royal Flying Doctor Service but have chosen to stand down from my position for the duration of the election campaign,” Mr Crook said.

“I intend to campaign strongly on the issue of declining regional health services and I would not like any statement I make as a candidate to be mistaken or misconstrued as the official position of the RFDS.”

Mr Crook said a major focus of his campaign would be to secure an upgrade for the Kalgoorlie Hospital and more funding for the RFDS.

“It’s a disgrace that we have a major regional hospital that’s barely fit for the third world,” Mr Crook said. “The State Labor Government has let the hospital run down to the point that it does not have the resources to service the local community, with more and more people forced to travel to Perth for procedures which should be available in a major regional city like Kalgoorlie.

“Access to medical services should not be considered a privilege - it’s a basic right - and people in regional Western Australia are being denied this on a regular basis.”

Mr Crook said the decline in regional health services was dangerous, particularly when combined with a refusal to adequately fund the RFDS. He said the State Government had knocked back the most recent application for funding by the RFDS.

“I was disappointed the Minister for Health referred to the RFDS as an ‘interest group’ making an ambit claim for funds,” Mr Crook said. “As a person who has lived and worked in regional WA my entire life, I was horrified the State Government viewed the service as expendable. The State Government has a long way to go to understand the needs of country communities and that’s why I’m standing as a candidate for The Nationals.”