The daughter of Rotor-Lift’s founders has penned an emotional social media post condemning a state government procurement decision as “betrayal”.
Health Minister Bridget Archer announced on Tuesday that after a quarter-century of service, Rotor-Lift would be replaced by mainland-based StarFlight in a new $354m deal.
The contract covers helicopter rescue, aeromedical retrieval and law enforcement flights across Tasmania.
“My heart is broken,” Izzy Corbin wrote, describing how her parents Allana and Roger built the business from scratch, with her father later losing his life in a 2017 accident while working.
“Since then, I’ve watched my mum run the service with everything she has, growing it, giving it her all, keeping his legacy alive and keeping Tasmanians safe.”
“This isn’t just business, it’s betrayal,” Corbin continued in her post.
“Jeremy Rockliff has shown total disrespect for our family, our staff and the community we’ve spent decades protecting.”
“Rotor-Lift isn’t just helicopters. It is people, passion, dedication, and love for this community. It was ours, it is my family.”
“They have thrown away not just a business, but my dad’s legacy, my mum’s sacrifice and the future I was meant to carry on.”
Liberal Minister Jo Palmer defended the government’s decision, insisting the tender process was fair and transparent.
“We absolutely acknowledge that this is disappointing for Rotor-Lift. We acknowledge that,” she said.
“But this was an open tender process, this is the way this should be done, and it has given us the result that it has, and we believe that it will be a better service for Tasmanians.”
“It’s looking at what is the best value of the money for Tasmania, what would give us the best opportunity to ensure that we have the best technology, the best equipment.”
