MP’S funeral offer
HERBERT MP Phillip Thompson has offered to drive the family of a dead soldier from the New South Wales border to his funeral and back.
Craftsman Brendon Payne, 29, and his 40-year-old colleague Warrant Officer Class Two Ryan Leslie, died on Monday when an army vehicle rolled over on Dotswood Rd, west of Townsville.
Mr Payne’s grandmother Denise, 73, and aunt Leanne are pleading with the government to allow them to attend the funeral in Brisbane.
Now, veteran Mr Thompson is offering to help the family get to and from the funeral without having contact with anyone else – if that is what it takes. The Townsville-based MP said he would drive to the border to pick up the family, before taking them directly to the funeral in Brisbane, and then back to the border.
Mr Thompson said he would then do two weeks’ quarantine if that was what it took to get Mr Payne’s family to the funeral.
“(The family have) asked for an exemption to come to the funeral to bury their loved one, and I’m asking Premier (Annastacia) Palaszczuk to do the right thing,” Mr Thompson said.
“The Premier has asked our bravest soldiers to support Queensland through natural disasters, whether it is cyclone, floods or fire, (and to) help the
Queensland government with quarantine. We’re asking the premier to support us and allow (the family) to travel into Queensland to bury their loved one.”
Mr Thompson said if NRL spouses, people who brought revenue and movie stars could be given exemptions to travel over the border, the grieving family of Mr Payne should be given the same opportunity.
“I’m asking for the Premier to give an exemption to one of Australia’s most brave, who put themselves in harm’s way, whether that is here in Australia or on operation,” he said.
“We can’t have Australian soldiers who have tragically died … their families being treated so poorly.”