SA Health’s $23m helipad upgrade blunders leave emergency country helicopter pads shut with fears of taxpayer bailout

A $23.4m helipad upgrade program faces potential disaster with six sites mothballed and officials exploring forcing residents from their homes to fix the mess.

The MedStar emergency helicopters provide a critical medical service to the state’s most vulnerable and injured. Picture: Leon Bignell

Millions of South Australian taxpayers’ dollars are at risk of being wasted after a bureaucratic blunder shut critical country emergency helicopter landing sites over fears they are dangerous.

The state government is spending $23.4m upgrading 13 regional hospital helipads in Barossa and Clare valleys, Spencer Gulf, Yorke and Fleurieu peninsulas, Riverland as well as Kangaroo Island.

But six sites remain shut after SA authorities failed to build the pads – that MedSTAR emergency helicopters use to land adjacent regional hospitals – due to strict federal aviation safety rules, which require a 66m object “boundary”.

Senior government sources warn the program is in turmoil amid fears of a cost blowout and public money being “wasted”.

Mothballed helipads are located in Clare, Loxton, Mannum, Murray Bridge, Port Pirie and Victor Harbor. Construction finished more than six months ago.

The sources further warned “solutions” were unlikely at current locations while it is unclear when the pads will open.

Hospitals, a childcare centre, retirement village, aged care homes, CFS and SES stations, businesses, charities as well as private houses are located inside legal perimeters.

SA Health documents show officials are “disappointed” sites are not operating.

It is understood officials have explored acquiring homes or rebuilding on other green site locations.

Staff at the childcare centre, which SA Health owns, have raised concerns.

Helicopters, which are used as a lifesaving role in transporting regional patients to better-resourced Adelaide hospitals during emergencies, are landing either at aerodromes outside regional towns or on local ovals.

The opposition called for clarity if residents and businesses will be forced out of buildings or would authorities need to “start from scratch, throwing millions down the drain”.

Multinational defence and aerospace company Babcock, which operates Bell 412 twin-engine utility choppers, is not landing its fleet due to the rotor turbulent “downwash” air concerns.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority published new regulations, which pilots must obey, in September 2023 after 18 “downwash” injuries including nine at hospitals.

A toddler inside a stroller was lifted outside Cairns Hospital in June 2022.

Health Minister Chris Picton announced “sky’s the limit” with the upgrades 627 days ago in March 2024.

The state government is spending $23.4m upgrading 13 regional hospital helipads in Barossa and Clare valleys, Spencer Gulf, Yorke and Fleurieu peninsulas, Riverland as well as Kangaroo Island. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Opposition spokeswoman Penny Pratt condemned the SA government for having wedged itself over “this botched project” and questioned Mr Picton to “explain how much additional taxpayer money has been wasted correcting his own error”.

“No-one else is surprised that the nation’s civil aviation authority constantly reviews and updates safety regulations,” she said.

“What is surprising is that SA Health as the owner of all hospital helipads didn’t read them before spending … our money on non-compliant helipads.

“Country patients are still left without emergency retrievals from hospital helipads when every second counts.”

Mothballed helipads are located in Clare, Loxton, Mannum, Murray Bridge, Port Pirie and Victor Harbor. Construction finished more than six months ago. Picture: Emma Brasier

Mr Picton criticised the Liberals for doing “absolutely nothing”.

“We have already opened seven of the upgraded helipads and are working with the current helicopter operator Babcock to progress commissioning six more,” he said.

His spokesman said the project budget “has not been fully spent” while there were “no plans to allocate additional funds”.

An SA Health spokeswoman added it had not engaged another agency – Transport – on “compulsory acquisitions”.

“The contracted operator has the final sign off before the upgraded helipads can be used and needs to ensure they meet all relevant safety requirements under the new CASA requirements, including those relating to helicopter downwash,” she said.

A Babcock spokeswoman said: “As the state’s rescue helicopter provider, we are required to maintain the highest safety standards.

“We continue to work with the state government on the commissioning of helipads including the completion of safety assessments.”

Helipads are operational at Balaklava, Berri, Kapunda, Kingscote, Meningie, Port Broughton and Wallaroo.

Toll Group will operate SA police, ambulance and rescue helicopters from 2027.

Originally published as SA Health’s $23m helipad upgrade blunders leave emergency country helicopter pads shut with fears of taxpayer bailout