Angel Flight Australia is thrilled to receive a strong commitment from the Hon. David Littleproud, Leader of The Nationals. Under this commitment, a future Coalition Government would fund the placement of seven aircraft across capital cities and key regional centres to help bridge the growing gap in rural health access.
This initiative marks a significant breakthrough in addressing rural health inequities. By expanding its dedicated Rural Medi-Flight service, Angel Flight will be able to transport more health professionals to and from remote communities, improve local healthcare delivery, reduce pressure on regional hospitals, and minimise the need to transfer patients to major metropolitan centres.
According to the Queensland Department of Health, people living in remote and very remote areas of the state are 1.3 times more likely to die prematurely, and twice as likely to be hospitalised for preventable conditions compared to those in metropolitan areas. Many remote towns lack regular access to specialists, with long distances, limited transport, and workforce shortages compounding the challenges. For over 22 years, Angel Flight has quietly served more than 100,000 rural Australians, providing free flights and ground transport for medical appointments—without receiving ongoing government funding.
Angel Flight CEO Marjorie Pagani explained; “Over the past three years, Angel Flight has witnessed a surge in demand for health professional transport, prompting the launch of our Rural Medi-Flight program—a dedicated air service aimed at flying doctors, nurses and allied health professionals into the bush, rather than flying patients out of community to access care.”
With a proposed investment of $4.9 million, Angel Flight plans to expand this model by placing aircraft in all states and capital cities as well as Alice Springs, Cairns and Port Hedland. These turbo-charged, high-speed, 8–10 seat aircraft will enable reliable and efficient flights across the country on an as-needed basis.
Marjorie Pagani, CEO of Angel Flight Australia, said: “With this funding, Angel Flight can significantly increase the number of rural flights to as many as 10,000 additional missions per year. This includes transporting health professionals, patients needing ongoing care, return trips for patients flown in by emergency services, and—where possible—placements for university students in health professions.”
This game-changing support from the Nationals leader promises to improve health outcomes for rural Australians and create a stronger, more connected healthcare system.
The purchased aircraft will be dedicated to the transport of health professionals, with any additional capacity being directed to patient transfer, flood relief, medical supply drops, and compassionate flights and supplement the community service flights operated by Angel Flight’s 3500 volunteer pilots.
Source: https://www.ruralhealth.org.au/rural-health-australia-snapshot
