What about the chook raffles?
Under Australian government legislation funds raised by a charity must be used for the purpose it was intended, in the area (location) and within the time frame stated by the fund raisers.
In some regional areas, local communities raise substantial donations for the local service; in fact a close bond develops. The second oldest profession in the world is selling tickets for a chook raffle at the local pub!
It is assumed a large corporation contracted by the government would not attract the same local monies from all those community activities? In fact, it has happened often in the past.
Does the efficiency gained by having a large operator (economy of scale) balance out the potential loss of small community funding from local fund raisers?
There are many case studies to review. Some are:
1. Queensland moving their helicopters from the SES to Premiers Department, etc, etc .
2. Problems with Westpac/Surf and the Newcastle base and funds diverted to Wollongong.
3. Even the collapse of the NSCA has a few lessons here.
4. Please add to this list…
Maybe we will price ourselves out of the business in the long term. Just needs a change of government and change of policy.
Remember the HAA and the cancelled Sydney Community Heliport near Darling Harbour. All it took was a new Premier - and all those hard earned (and costly) government approvals meant nothing.
Does the wheel of misfortune go round and round?