March 30, 2022
Two young men have proven chivalry is still alive in the South Burnett when they sprang into action last week to help out a group of stranded motorists.
The travellers were members of the Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce – including Taskforce chair and former President of the Queensland Court of Appeal Margaret McMurdo AC – who were returning to Brisbane after a South Burnett stakeholder consultation meeting in Cherbourg.
The group blew a tyre just outside Murgon.
After managing to steer safely to a stop on the side of the road, the four women removed the temporary spare tyre and located the jack but could not get it to lift the vehicle.
Stranded with limited mobile phone coverage, they faced an anxious wait in the afternoon heat for the RACQ, until two helpful young men came along and saved the day.
Without skipping a beat, the men got to work changing the tyre and had the women back on the road in no time.
Ms McMurdo didn’t get their names but she did take their photo and obtained their permission to publish it to thank them for their kind act.
The local RACQ mechanic later gave the young men’s work the thumbs up!
He and the all-male team who ultimately fitted the new full-size tyre in Kingaroy could not have been friendlier or more professional.
“The Taskforce has been hearing of many men behaving badly in terms of coercive control, domestic violence and sexual assault. It was reaffirming to meet such kind, generous and capable men in the South Burnett!” Ms McMurdo said.
The Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce is currently attending consultation meetings in regional Queensland seeking feedback on its third discussion paper by April 8 on women and girls’ experiences of the criminal justice system.
To find out more, or make a submission, visit www.womenstaskforce.qld.gov.au
The Taskforce’s discussions in Cherbourg heard from South Burnett health services, hospital staff, sexual assault workers, police, disability advocacy workers, youth justice and legal stakeholders and a Cherbourg Elder.
It is due to provide its report on women and girl’s experiences across the criminal justice system by June 30.
