07-21-2020, 05:58 PM
Another one bites the dust.
Local council quite happy for their ratepayers to die. See no value in local airport.
Saving Cohuna airfield can be difference between life and death, doctors say
ABC Central Victoria
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By Tyrone Dalton, Beth Gibson and Natalie Kerr
Posted TueTuesday 14 JulJuly 2020 at 4:09pm, updated 6ddays ago
The council says it is doing all it can to facilitate the transition to a new operator.(Supplied: Cohuna Aviation)
More than 1,500 people have signed a petition backing calls from the Cohuna medical community to save the local airfield from closure.
Key points:
o A petition attracts 1,500 signatures to save the Cohuna airfield from closure
o Local doctors say access for emergency patients can be the difference between life and death
o The landowner, Coliban Water, says it will assess the viability of leasing the airfield to another operator
The landowner, Coliban Water, will close the airfield when Gannawarra Shire Council surrenders its licence as a cost-saving measure.
The water authority says it will close the aerodrome on September 11.
But local GP Megan Belot said the airfield was vital in getting emergency patients to hospitals in Bendigo and Melbourne.
"It's extremely important because Cohuna provides 24/7 obstetric care at the moment, and we also do a lot of paediatric work as well as general medicine," she said.
"If we were to transfer out of the Kerang medical airfield, it would take an extra 20 minutes.
"Twenty minutes in medical time is a long time — it really can be the difference between life and death, or the difference between a poorer or better outcome."
Megan Belot says closing the airfield is the wrong decision.(ABC News)
The petition, started by Cohuna GP Peter Barker, gained 1,500 signatures in a week.
Dr Belot said the response had been overwhelming.
"We really rely so heavily on that airfield to provide the care for Cohuna and surrounding districts," she said.
"The fact the council has gone ahead and done this without a lot of public consultation is concerning."
Council hopes for smooth handover
The council said it was doing all it could to facilitate the transition to a new operator.
It will hold a two-day course in August for community groups and individuals who want to lodge an expression of interest in taking over the running of the airfield.
"The main role of the Cohuna airfield operator is to be a 24/7 point of contact for Ambulance Victoria and Victoria Police in the instance aircraft from either organisation need to land at the facility," chief executive Tom O'Reilly said.
"Ambulance Victoria has stated publicly that the temporary closure of the aerodrome, as determined by Coliban Water to ensure its expression-of-interest process can proceed, will have no impact on Ambulance Victoria's ability to deliver emergency care to residents.
"The airfield licensee will also not be responsible for the maintenance of other facilities on site, as these buildings are privately owned. The aerodrome also does not have refuelling facilities on site."
The local medical community is trying to save the airfield.(Supplied: Cohuna Aviation)
'We'll consider another operator'
Coliban Water said it understood how important the aerodrome was to the community and would consider leasing it to another third party.
It said it would examine the viability of another party operating the aerodrome before deciding if an expression of interest for new operators was worthwhile.
That process is expected to take until December.
One group that has expressed an interest in the airfield licence is the Cohuna Model Flying Club, which is headquartered at the Chuggs Road location.
Posted 14 JulJuly 2020, updated 6ddays ago
Local council quite happy for their ratepayers to die. See no value in local airport.
Saving Cohuna airfield can be difference between life and death, doctors say
ABC Central Victoria
/
By Tyrone Dalton, Beth Gibson and Natalie Kerr
Posted TueTuesday 14 JulJuly 2020 at 4:09pm, updated 6ddays ago
The council says it is doing all it can to facilitate the transition to a new operator.(Supplied: Cohuna Aviation)
More than 1,500 people have signed a petition backing calls from the Cohuna medical community to save the local airfield from closure.
Key points:
o A petition attracts 1,500 signatures to save the Cohuna airfield from closure
o Local doctors say access for emergency patients can be the difference between life and death
o The landowner, Coliban Water, says it will assess the viability of leasing the airfield to another operator
The landowner, Coliban Water, will close the airfield when Gannawarra Shire Council surrenders its licence as a cost-saving measure.
The water authority says it will close the aerodrome on September 11.
But local GP Megan Belot said the airfield was vital in getting emergency patients to hospitals in Bendigo and Melbourne.
"It's extremely important because Cohuna provides 24/7 obstetric care at the moment, and we also do a lot of paediatric work as well as general medicine," she said.
"If we were to transfer out of the Kerang medical airfield, it would take an extra 20 minutes.
"Twenty minutes in medical time is a long time — it really can be the difference between life and death, or the difference between a poorer or better outcome."
Megan Belot says closing the airfield is the wrong decision.(ABC News)
The petition, started by Cohuna GP Peter Barker, gained 1,500 signatures in a week.
Dr Belot said the response had been overwhelming.
"We really rely so heavily on that airfield to provide the care for Cohuna and surrounding districts," she said.
"The fact the council has gone ahead and done this without a lot of public consultation is concerning."
Council hopes for smooth handover
The council said it was doing all it could to facilitate the transition to a new operator.
It will hold a two-day course in August for community groups and individuals who want to lodge an expression of interest in taking over the running of the airfield.
"The main role of the Cohuna airfield operator is to be a 24/7 point of contact for Ambulance Victoria and Victoria Police in the instance aircraft from either organisation need to land at the facility," chief executive Tom O'Reilly said.
"Ambulance Victoria has stated publicly that the temporary closure of the aerodrome, as determined by Coliban Water to ensure its expression-of-interest process can proceed, will have no impact on Ambulance Victoria's ability to deliver emergency care to residents.
"The airfield licensee will also not be responsible for the maintenance of other facilities on site, as these buildings are privately owned. The aerodrome also does not have refuelling facilities on site."
The local medical community is trying to save the airfield.(Supplied: Cohuna Aviation)
'We'll consider another operator'
Coliban Water said it understood how important the aerodrome was to the community and would consider leasing it to another third party.
It said it would examine the viability of another party operating the aerodrome before deciding if an expression of interest for new operators was worthwhile.
That process is expected to take until December.
One group that has expressed an interest in the airfield licence is the Cohuna Model Flying Club, which is headquartered at the Chuggs Road location.
Posted 14 JulJuly 2020, updated 6ddays ago