Murray Olds: Australian correspondent on the fatal helicopter crash in Far North Queensland

Investigations are continuing into yesterday's fatal helicopter crash in Far North Queensland.

The DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Cairns was evacuated after a stolen helicopter crashed into the hotel roof early yesterday morning, sparking a massive explosion.

The pilot - the only occupant of the helicopter - died.

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says the wreckage has been removed - and the flight recording devices have been sent away to be examined.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Murray Old's Ossie corresponds with us, now, hey.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Mass, very good afternoon, Heather on.

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Some more details on that chopper crash and Ken's a yes.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Yeah, you've seen the pictures look like out of a
film like Tom Cruise a foot He comes straight from
Paris to kens and far North Queensland. Because it was
just this bizarre scene a stolen helicopter we understand crashing
onto the roof of the pub was not a pub,
it's a upmarket hotel. Four hundred people had to be evacuated.
The wreckage that is now removed, I mean they had

(00:28):
a rotor blade end up in a swimming pool down below,
other parts that were strewn on the street below. What
they've done is removed the wreckage. They've taken the flight
recording devices off that aircraft and various bits and pieces.
We understand they are only way to Canberra, where this
kind of stuff is analyzed and evaluated. Here in Australia.
They have yet to identify the pilot. The pilot died

(00:51):
of course in the crash, I mean the thing burst
into flames on the roof of the hotel. So reports
suggests he was a former employee of Utaliss Aviation. This
is the company that's already said the helicopter was stolen,
apparently removed from a hanger and flown away. So look
a little bit more detail coming out. We still didn't

(01:11):
know who a person at the controls was. We may
find that out in the next twenty four to forty
eight hours.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
Yeah all right, Mars, listen, I see there's a push
to ban the gambling ads on free to ear Telly.
What are the chances that actually happens?

Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah, good luck, good luck. I mean, the gambling industry
in this country may be the same over home. It's
so powerful. Neither side, mainstream political side in this country
has got the guts to take it on. Heather. The
cross Bench is saying you've got a ban gaming advertising online.
Independents are saying the same thing. Health experts are saying

(01:46):
the same thing. Get rid of these dreadfully ads that
are non stop on your television when sports is on. Well,
Bill Shorten's belled the cat. Bill Shorten, of course, a
very senior government minister over here. He told the ABC
a big it was a it's a current affairs TV
show that goes to where nationally Monday night he said,
guess what, Free to wear television in this country is

(02:08):
in such bad shape it needs that gaming revenue to survive.
Now critics are saying, you are kidding. What a pathetic
thing to say. There's been a very big inquiry that's
come down banned advertising. And I heard one guy this
morning say, it's just like we used to have tobacco
ads sponsoring rugby league and rugby union and goodness knows whatever,

(02:29):
but they banned advertising of tobacco. But guess what people
still kept smoking. He said, exactly, the same thing will happen.
We just won't be exposing ten year old kids to
gambling ads. They know what a quality is, they know
what a you know, like a cornella is at ten
years old. You're kidding. The gambling industry is saying, oh look, no, no, no, no,

(02:51):
we need this. When NEN position these ads like this,
and guess what they donate big time to big parties,
it's not going to change. No, it's not.

Speaker 1 (03:00):
When there's money involved, it's not going to change. Listen,
these allegations, right, but there's a toxic culture and commercial TV.
Are we blaming this on the lack of unionism?

Speaker 2 (03:10):
Well, I know that's I haven't heard that in the
last twenty four hours. But boy oh boy, there was
an explosive show last night on again the ABC National Television.
But it's a bit like you know, I mean, commercial
television is been out there in the public eye for decades.
Of course, we've already had nine exposed with that ex
news director walking away with a million dollars apparently touchy

(03:33):
feely and creepy. We've had ten well, you know, go
no further than Bruce Lherman and Britney Higgins. And now
we've got Channel seven exposed, according to the ABC, as
a place so toxic that some employees were considering suicide,
that young female workers were regularly sexually harassed opposition, you know,

(03:56):
and the critics routinely muzzled ever with lifetime non disclosure
agreements for fear of getting busted and caught. It's a
very very unhealthy picture of commercial television over here, where
the only thing that seems to matter, mate, is getting
the story first. And if people are bruised and battered
and kicked to the sidewalk as they go through life

(04:19):
or big buddy deal, no one seems to care.

Speaker 1 (04:21):
Yeah, Mars, listen, thank you very much for talking us
through to appreciate it. It's Murray OL's hours, he correspondent.

Speaker 2 (04:26):
For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive.

Speaker 1 (04:29):
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