The Albanese Government is directing extra funding to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) to allow the iconic Australian organisation to deliver even more health services to Australians right across the country.
The additional $29.1 million will support the RFDS to provide even more critical emergency aeromedical evacuations when and where they are needed, as well as primary health clinics, dental care and mental health services.
This will particularly help people living in rural and regional areas, along with remote First Nations communities.
To further back the vital work of the RFDS, the Government is also providing $1 million to kickstart a permanent healthcare clinic in the outback town of William Creek in South Australia.
This will give locals a dedicated health hub for the first time, which will be fully equipped to provide RFDS fly-in teams with a state-of-the-art space to care for patients and consult by video link when needed.
The $1 million is provided through the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.
While known for its emergency medical care and air transport, the RFDS also runs nearly 25,000 nurse, GP and dental clinics across Australia each year and delivers 20,000 face-to-face mental health consultations.
The extra $29.1m in operational funding is on top of up to $1 billion over ten years that the Australian Government has already committed to the RFDS, with the extra funding delivered over two financial years to 30 June 2025.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
“The Albanese Government is making sure everyone can get health care – no matter whether you live in the inner suburbs of our major cities, or the most remote outback town.
“Since its inception almost 100 years ago, the RFDS has always strived to provide first-class health and emergency services to people in the bush.
“Anyone who has known the relief of the RFDS arriving after a farming accident, a car crash on a dusty track, or a heart attack at a sheep station will appreciate how important this extra funding is.”
Quotes attributable to Minister McBain:
“The RFDS provides vital services in regional, rural and remote Australia, which is why the Albanese Government has partnered with them and invested $1 million to get this purpose-built clinic in outback South Australia off the ground.
“From primary health consultations, to an emergency space for critically ill patients awaiting transfer to a major hospital, these enhanced services will provide an added level of comfort to locals, and will play a key role in providing confidence to thousands of tourists that visit the local area each year.
“Having visited William Creek last year ahead of the build, it’s fantastic to see this work now complete – because this remote community will no longer need to travel two hours to their nearest health service.”
