The Member for Stuart, Dan van Holst Pellekaan has labelled the Weatherill Labor Government refusal to provide additional protection for Royal Flying Doctor Service staff as nothing short of disgraceful.

Today in State Parliament the Labor Government again refused to support the State Liberal’s Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Bill which provides for a range of offences against RFDS workers to be classified as an aggravated offence.

“My Bill brings the legal protection of RFDS workers into line with all other emergency services workers and provides harsher penalties for assaults upon them,” said Dan van Holst Pellekaan.

“It beggars belief the Weatherill Government would not vote on this very simple, yet very important Bill.

“This is a very important and straight forward bill that will ensure RFDS staff receive the same rights and protections while they are at work that other emergency workers already have.

“Why does the Weatherill Government want to prevent RFDS workers from having the same level of protection as other emergency services workers?

“RFDS workers deserve the same level of protection that is already available to other emergency services workers such as police, ambulance, fire fighters, doctors, nurses and prison officers.

”The Labor government should be ashamed of itself for not protecting these workers who put themselves in harm’s way to protect the public.”