Viability of regional and rural airports under threat amid costly counter-terrorism measures

[mnewbery]

Ahh the smell of the cracked septic tank. I thought I missed it, but I don't.

 

NOBODY stages or stores rescue helicopters at hospitals. Never, ever.

 

Since 2012, Brisbane paramedics that fly in helicopters have been staged out of Archerfield. Similarly for Brisbane Airport, Townsville, Cairns, Mt Isa, and Horn Island.

 

As for LifeFlight at Toowoomba, ask your mother as I am sure she will tell you that Clive Berghofer has been donating money to LifeFlight since 2004 and its not sitting on top of the Toowoomba hospital for a number of good reasons. Thanks again for sharing these "thoughts".

 

 

[nomadpete]

So, M Newbery, what should TRC do with the old Toowoomba airport. It's really not the best airport I've flown into. Has it reached the end of its useful life?

 

 

[mnewbery]

I provide no advice on the matter of YTWB or other aerodromes in the care of Toowoomba Regional Council. If I did, I would be providing it to my elected representative in order to try to make it count

 

 

[nomadpete]

Sorry, that wasn't meant to sound personal. YTWB is not likely to be closed due to expensive anti-terror measures. It was just a questioning thought bubble about the problem of the airports destiny.

 

 

[mnewbery]

Another answer might be "In this regard I have no clue"

 

In he absence of really good information I respectfully suggest TRC just let it be and the likes of Aerotec, DDAC etc will keep doing what they have always done. Eventually some disruptor will tip the balance and the answer will be more clear.

 

Right now, you can fly a King Air in to Toowoomba City, get it fixed or serviced, chuck in some super urgent freight part and/or person and go back to whatever mine site needs it. That has got to be worth something to someone and not all of those activities are possible in the one place nearby.

 

Until that changes "let it be"

 

 

[fly_tornado]

They could easily move LifeFlight out to Oakey, there is no really compelling argument to maintain two world class airports in a city so close to Brisbane. Converting that land into a shopping centre could create 10 times the jobs and 10 times the revenue for the TRC. And the end of the day politicians do what best for their supporters.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Cleaning up YTWB is a big job and the contract will be lucrative, just right for the newly cashed up Wagner Group.Just move Life Flight chopper facility out to the new hospital they are building at Bailey Henderson.

It's a great site for a shopping centre, located on the edge of the growth zone

Costed up the movement of a Toxic dump lately? try up to $5 billion to take it to the nearest registered toxic waste dump. At one stage only a few years ago trucks were transporting it to the Lyndhurst Toxic Waste dump in Melbourne because no one else would take it.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

this is regional QLD, we can legally dump our waste in a disused ipswich mine

 

 

[turboplanner]

this is regional QLD, we can legally dump our waste in a disused ipswich mine

There's a major difference between a putrescent waste tip and a hazardous waste tip; but I notice that Stocklands, well known to us in Victoria, are talking about building 6000 houses near the now-closed Willawong Toxic Waste Dump, Category: | The Courier Mail

 

 

[fly_tornado]

You assume that the government will act in a legal and logical way and if it doesn't that the residents will start some sort of legal challenge, but I put it to you that this is a safe Nationals seat.

 

Look how the Oakey locals are backing the DOD over the Oakey groundwater contamination. There is plans afoot to convert the old rifle range over on the eastern escarpment into 1500 house blocks, how much RDX is buried/dumped around there?

 

 

[nomadpete]

I wouldn't worry too much about residual toxic waste from Willawong. Didn't it all seep into the Brisbane River? I thought that was why they closed it.e

 

 

[fly_tornado]

If I start a rumour there is a Costco or an Ikea going on the old airport site. Then frame the debate around the greenies wanting to stop affordable housing. The toxicity issue is muted.

 

 

[turboplanner]

If I start a rumour there is a Costco or an Ikea going on the old airport site. Then frame the debate around the greenies wanting to stop affordable housing. The toxicity issue is muted.

Yes, planning regulations have proven to be hopeless at protecting people.

 

 

[nomadpete]

Town planning is an oxymoron. The only time it has been tried in Australia, we ended up with Canberra. And that sure didn't create a utopian suburbia.

 

 

[skippydiesel]

Comprehensive pre-screening of all ticket purchases is an effective action to reduce risk. 'Blind Freddy' could identify who the major risk groups are. The problem is that the country is run by PC weak-spined persons that will not do anything that might offend various minority factions. Heaven forbid anyone should suggest risk profiling!The whole aviation security issue falls down at the weakest link. Who really believes an ASIC has any credibility?

It is hard to be certain that this is /not a racist slur on minority non Christian, non white people.

 

It saddens me that people have so little knowledge of history and empathy for their fellow humans. Have these rednecks never heard of the IRA, Martin Bryant, the Anabomber, the Ergun ..... to name but a few recent terrorist/organisations who were mostly people of European appearance. Some of their causes were legitimate, some insane, their methods were all much of a muchness - carnage and fear !

 

Terrorism is the weapon of the disadvantaged, the disenfranchised and the mentally unstable. Until we address these matters, terrorist and terrorism will always be with us,that is until we evolve into a better more empathetic species.

 

( I could wax lyrical on State terrorism - why do are general duties police need ever more powerful guns??)

 

Terrorists succeed when when the reaction of us (the people) and our Governors is no extreme as to change the way our society functions. It can bring good - Bryant single handedly changed our gun laws but at a huge cost to the innocent and one might argue the laws brought in were not well crafted/targeted (another debate).

 

Occasionally the terrorists evolve into freedom fighters or other heros of the revolution, become politicians (pillars of society ????) etc etc etc and the blood is forgotten more often it leads to destruction.

 

My point is this - risk (racial, religiose, gender, fat, thin, bearded, balding) profiling is the pseudoscience of the bigot - we need to find better ways to address the causes rather than half arsed attempts to treat the symptoms.

 

 

[Frankus1aust]

Sorry for my screaming ignorance but who is the person/interest-group/politician/press hog behind this?