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NewsMeet the oldest Air Ambulance Nurse in Australia
Meet the oldest Air Ambulance Nurse in Australia

Meet the oldest Air Ambulance Nurse in Australia

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Maureen Roberts has many career highlights to share from her 32 years as Australia’s longest serving air ambulance nurse.

In a recent interview on Macquarie Media, Maureen told the story of the pilot of her aircraft passing out at the controls and how she calmly popped his oxygen mask on and brought him around enough to land the plane. And you thought your job had challenges!

Maureen began her career in the Riverina and became interested in the Air Ambulance are speaking to a fellow nurse from the service. She started her career in Albury but is now based at Mascot, near Sydney.

Another memorable moment of her career involved a premature baby in the skies over the Hunter Valley in NSW. The Air Ambulance needed to land but a FA18 Hornet on “critical fuel” took precedence. Maureen remembers saying to the Air Ambulance pilot “the fighter pilot can eject if he needs to but we can’t, we need to land”!

One of the wonderful things about her job, Maureen told us, is that every day is a different experience depending on the patients you're transporting.

“Sometimes you're taking people home to die and they know they're going to die and they have the most amazing conversations with you."

Hear the full interview with Maureen Roberts here

Originally posted on .

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Danny
Danny from NSW commented:

Re last couple of comments: Robert, I totally agree, giving $200 to newly weds for counselling (they may or not even need) is on a par with past Labor money wasting stupidities and this money could be spent on so many other more worthwhile purposes (would be interested to know which one of Tony Abbott's otherwise sensible Ministry came up with this nonsense). Also agree with Dina, get rid of the baby bonus, the majority of it is probably being blown on superfluous items not even associated with the new infant and only encourages professional breeders already on the welfare band wagon, ie single parents pension, family allowance etc (you know the ones with 4 kids to several different fathers ) to keep pumping out kids as a form of income (sorry to be blunt but true) Lastly, compliments on recently advertised latest Abbott Govt initiative, revamp the Work for the Dole program. It is hight time this was brought in and properly enforced in an effort to deter serial dole bludgers, some of whom come from 3rd generation of welfare recipients who have never, and never intend to even try to find a job. There has to be a disincentive for people like this who never turn up for scheduled job interviews and are rorting the system and in these tough times, with welfare cuts now on the cards (due primarily to former waste and largess of the past 6 years of Labor Government) I would rather see serial dole bludgers, illegal boat people determined to stay on a lifetime of welfare and other similar parasites lose welfare payments, than aged pensioners who have worked all their lives and paid taxes in this country. 

Steve
Steve from QLD replied to Danny:

Yes hand outs for all odd programs, should be reassessed the country can't afford to be throwing good money at hair brained schemes. I even made my 89 year old mum a wooden replica gun and asked her to hand it too the bank teller, at least now she has a air conditioned room, free heating so she will warm in winter, CCTV so she will be constantly watched over,free dental, free meals three times a day, free medical, visitor twice a week, which is about four times what she gets now, plus free tv, magazines and crosswords to keep her mind busy, she can even do a degree in law for free if she wanted or remembered why! I really do believe we need to look after our elderly who have given to our communities over many years and not to those who have arrived on a scam wanting the world as a right of this good country, sorry if you haven't put in, you get nothing out! Oh and another thing nobody should be able to send money over seas whilst on a Australian pension! Times up for all the scams. 

Robert
Robert from NSW commented:

Come on Mr. Abbott. Giving $200.00 to newly weds so they can get counselling is a typical Labor money waste exercise. Why dont you give it to pensioners who struggle to make ends meet. 

Theo
Theo from NSW replied to Robert:

Hello, I remember in one of Don Lane shows he had a panel discussing marriage. Among the panelists was a Catholic priest, who in his dialogue said "The Italians do know how to marry"... this followed laughter and ironical comments. He explained to the audience that he did not mean the act of man and woman getting together, but the understanding of responsibilities and obligations of one another and providing a home. In that time the 60"s, 70's and 80's, Italians, Greeks, Yugoslavs were the foreigners and regarded not the best of citizens. So... saying all that I guess is a good thing young couples to be given counselling. What I am concerned is what are they going to counselled on? 50-50 on divorce? That's what we inherited from Lionel Murphy, remember him? 

Sarah
Sarah from NSW commented:

This is another attempt by the government to take money from people who have worked all their lives to accumulate some assets. This is money earned and spent wisely over decades. I'm totally against including the family home in the assets test. Next they'll be dipping into the superannuation we have been forced to pay. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Norm fROM sYDNEY THE FAMILY HOME SHOULD NOT BE TOUCHED. WE HAVE PAYED ALL OUR TAXES WHILE WE ARE WORKING,SO WHEN WE RETIRE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE PENSION FULL OR HALF. PENSIONS ARE OFF LIMITED. 

Dina
Dina from QLD commented:

Stop the baby bonuses! !!!!! 

Dina
Dina from QLD commented:

Privatization of the Australian post is the sooner the better! It is the contractors who are stirring a fuss. Even ones a week mail is enough, I am happy with that, or the tree day week.I really don't care. 

Roslyn
Roslyn from QLD replied to Dina:

It's already privatized. Our Australia Post Offices are franchised out. 

Paul
Paul from NSW commented:

Retirement age is getting further away all the time. I they want to keep us working, when you turn 60, how about half rate tax, I would keep going for that and they would not have to pay me medical pension or anything else. How much would that save in welfare payments???? How many of us would keep working for 1/2 rate taxes for over 60's. I suppose that would be toooooo easy for the so called intelligent people. 

Steve
Steve from QLD replied to Paul:

Hey Paul great idea, either that to help top up supa or 60+ears go/stay on a pension in near poverty, in this case I for one would keep working and stay off pension for another ten years! 

Martin
Martin from QLD replied to Paul:

I'm a rigger in the construction industry currently working 12 hours a day and 6 every Saturday. I'm starting to feel it now but just can't wait to see a site where all the riggers, doggers, boiler makers and associated tradesmen are all over 65. What will that do for productivity. It's a joke. The government just wants you to work until you die. Just don't die at work. 

Geoff
Geoff from NSW commented:

Let us 'oldies' put pressure on the pay-TV companies to give us a better deal. My wife is over 60 and I am 70 and neither of us watch any of the cartoon channels, or the music or movie channels - why should we have to pay for something which is NEVER used. I rang Foxtel last week and was told that they CAN'T remove these channels from the Essentials Package. My proposal was to dlete 15 channels that we get now and replace them with eight Lifestyle channels. But no. When I suggested that rather than CAN'T is is more like WON'T, the guy at the other end said 'No we can't'. And when I offered to send someone in to show them that they COULD, he got a bit hostile and threatened to hang up. It is after all only a computer program and any programmer worth his salt could effect this change. Power to the people. Geoff NSW 

Dina
Dina from QLD replied to Geoff:

Get rid of foxtel no one told you to get it in the first place? 

Someone
Someone from NSW replied to Dina:

Dina I am sure Geoff will grateful for your suggestion! I think many people including me would agree with him. In any case it has no bearing on means testing the family home. 

Beverley
Beverley from NSW commented:

Re children being liable for parents medicals after death? Dont believe you can throw a blanket over this! TOO MANY VARIABLES!! What if the "child" is disabled and now left to fend for themselves? or institutionalised? Who would stand up for them to UNDERSTAND what was expected of them? What if they were sub teens? What if there were "blended" families involved? Would only those fathered by or mothered by the deceased bear the costs? What if . . . can go on forever and only the lawyers will get rich sorting THAT mess out! 

Beverley
Beverley from NSW commented:

re family homes . . . whether elderly couples or singles . . . may variables in this subject. (1) Put them in apartments/downsize? Where to? (2) Many older folks bought their homes many years ago when values were much lower in certain areas. The fact they are now worth much more is through no doing of their own! (3) Realising on a family home, paying taxes, RE fees and removalist costs, then using whats left to buy elsewhere relocate/downsize whatever - (probably miles away from original base with doctors, neighbours and all things familiar), what is the benefit? (4) INCLUDING value of a home to calculate pension? THAT logic benefits those renting (for whatever reason!) no assets or capital so eligible for FULL pension and ALL benefits - (4a) and then does someone living in a family home passed down and now worth a million receive NO Pension? Sure if the home is sold then the realised funds are considered in calculating pensions. But please lets NOT breed a race of people willing to rent and collect off the government all their lives. Is it not possible THAT is the whole idea? Get the majority dependent? then cut off supply? THAT keeps them poor and begging and willing to do anything to survive. Now where have we seen that picture before? Agree with previous writers - quit with the "for life" pensions, offices, staff, cars, travel, pensions immediately they are outed for the politicians and government bureaucrats. Overseas aid? Sure but let it be pro-rata of $'s to per head of population or calculated similarly. We are only 23 million after all. Whatever happened to "Charity begins at home" We have homeless, sick and needy RIGHT HERE! . . . Stop the rot NOW before it is too late . . . and stop the welfare mentality before it chokes us. 

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