An adventurous Aussie who last weekend spent a night in Port Douglas as part of a world-record attempt says his wife has been joking he is the new Bill Clinton.

The former US President famously spent a night in the town in 1996 to visit the Great Barrier Reef during a three-night Australian visit.

And Sydney surgeon Igor Banzic’s fleeting visit on the weekend was a similar mix of business and pleasure - he has been attempting to set a new world record by riding a motorbike around the coastal roads of Australia to help promote more opportunities for women surgeons.

As part of the trip, Dr Banzic is raising awareness about what is believed to be the country’s first female surgeon, the little-known Dr Laura Hope.

Dr Banzic says if more people knew about Dr Hope, who was not permitted by authorities to practise surgery in Australia as a woman at the start of last century, but began operating on soldiers on the battlefield during World War I, more females may be encouraged to take up the profession.

“This lady is just amazing, and completely forgotten by our society,” Dr Banzic says.

“She died completely forgotten by surgeons, by societies, by hospitals, by everyone.” 

Dr Banzic says riding clockwise around the coast from Sydney to Port Douglas has been a real eye-opener.

“Storms, heat, that’s a challenge,” he says.

“Most of all it’s heat and, basically, animals.

“And not just kangaroos, but emus, snakes, birds, all kinds of animals crossing the road.

“You can easily hit any of them."

And the Douglas Shire region has also posed its own unique challenges.

“Recently it’s storms, which is something I didn’t anticipate. 

“Lightning is quite scary, but everything else is just a pleasure.”

He was impressed with what he saw of Port Douglas, saying he will be sure to come back for a family holiday soon.

Dr Banzic left Sydney on December 19 to ride solo for an expected about 19,000km, with his wife and two young children flying to Perth to spend Christmas Day with him.

“20,000km is the distance between the north and south poles,” he says.

“Australia is a huge continent.”

Saddle soreness, aching limbs and the “mental battle” of focussing on the road every day have been further challenges.

“What you cannot appreciate is the loneliness on the road for 10 hours daily for four weeks.”

Dr Banzic aims to write a series of articles for a book about his journey and also wants to establish a scholarship for trainee female surgeons in Dr Hope’s name.

The new State Government is flying headlong into the task of trying to curb youth crime.

Queensland Police on Sunday (January 12) announced the  “State Flying Squad” would be increased to close to 60 by adding more than 40 full-time staff who can be rapidly deployed to “strategically target” some of the state’s worst offenders.

The Government says $32.4m would be spent on the squad across the next five years.

“The State Flying Squad will bolster the police frontline across Queensland and have the firepower to ensure teenage criminals are held to account through the Making Queensland Safer Laws,” Premier David Crisafulli said.
He said improving Queensland’s crime offensive was one of the ways the Government was delivering on its commitment to help improve community safety.  

“This squad will strike at the heart of crime,” Premier Crisafulli said.  

“We are throwing the kitchen sink at turning the tide on a decade of runaway crime.”

Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon welcomed the funding boost.

“It will reaffirm our commitment to community safety and addressing youth crime,” she said.

“The investment strengthens our targeted operations capability, ensuring we have resources needed to respond quickly and effectively to crime hotspots across Queensland.”