'It's about life and death': Call to base rescue chopper in North-West

"We need a Westpac Helicopter stationed at Burnie," Mr Marshall said.

"The pad is there, with great doctors at Burnie. The chopper and staff would make a huge difference - it's about life and death."

There were many times in which the Hobart-based helicopter was unable to fly due to the weather there, but a West Coast-based helicopter might have been able to help in rescues or searches.

"The weather is a huge factor. Many times, the Westpac chopper cannot fly, but a coastal chopper could."

The state presently has just two rescue choppers available and one on standby, after a fourth helicopter that was made available during the COVID period was stood down just prior to Christmas.

One source familiar with the rescue service said the call to base a rescue helicopter in Burnie was unpracticable, because of the cost of moving a separate maintenance team there.

It was also claimed that weather was not as serious an issue for the helicopters, since they are capable of flying in severe weather

Mr Marshall said the long flight time from Hobart along the North-West Coast had some of his potential constituents worried.

"It takes about an hour to get there, so a lot of people at Stanley think [a NW Coast helicopter base] is something we should be thinking about," he said.

"There's 85,000 people in Braddon, from Burnie right down to Strahan, so I'm pretty sure those helicopters are getting used a lot."

He understood that the proposal came with a large price tag.

"But what's a life worth?"

The Department of Health, which manages the rescue helicopter service, has been contacted for comment.

Mr Marshall's proposal came as Tasmanian helicopter company Rotor-Lift, which provides the helicopters used by the rescue service, said it would partner with Toll Group to re-tender for the contract when it expires in 2026.

Rotor-Lift Chief Executive Officer Susan Stanley said the combined experience of the two companies would provide a "high-capability and skilled service to Tasmanians".

Although the helicopters are branded Westpac under a promotion deal, Rotor-Lift supplies and crews the choppers from its base at Hobart Airport.

The company has completed more than 14,000 missions for both Tasmania Police and Ambulance Tasmania over the past 18 years.