The Queensland section of Australian air ambulance operator Royal Flying Doctor Service is thrilled to receive a $4 million donation from mining magnate Mrs Gina Rinehart AO, Hancock Prospecting and the Rinehart Medical Foundation.

The funds will contribute to the fit-out of a new Beechcraft King Air 360 aircraft and support the advancement of RFDS' operational environments at its soon-to-be-redeveloped Brisbane base.

RFDS (Queensland Section) chief executive officer Meredith Staib says the gift would continue to nurture quality patient care and help quicken response times: “On a typical day we have 10 flights come through our Brisbane base and last year alone more than 4,250 patients from 63 different locations passed through this area of operations; numbers we expect to grow substantially once the new base is built. The multi-million-dollar gift will help ensure that all Queenslanders, no matter where they live, work and play across the state, can feel safe in knowing that they are connected to the best medical care available.”

It is not the first donation the RFDS has received from the Rinehart Medical Foundation. At the beginning of the pandemic, a separate $6 million gift was credited by RFDS as the turning point for teams facing the COVID challenge.

“We are proud to again provide support to RFDS for the vital work it does each day for Queenslanders, and especially those in the bush,” says Mrs Rinehart. “This once again shows that when mining does well, Australia does well.”

Along with the fit-out of the Brisbane-based B360, the donation will support the fit-out and operationalisation of the new RFDS Brisbane base within the planned $72 million Queensland Regional Aeromedical Hub, alongside investment by the Queensland Government. The additional donation from Hancock Prospecting and the Rinehart Medical Foundation will help to fund equipment and support the operational control centre.

The Foundation has also generously provided the south eastern section of the RFDS in New South Wales with $4 million.

“We are very grateful for the Rinehart Medical Foundation's generosity. This support comes to the RFDS at a very challenging time in our organisation's 95 year history,” says South eastern section CEO Greg Sam. “Since the COVID pandemic, the RFDS has continued to deliver high quality care to rural and remote NSW communities, whilst navigating increasingly difficult economic conditions and rising costs.”

In recognition of its support, the Foundation logo will be placed on an RFDS aircraft.

And the Western Australia section has entered into an $8 million partnership with the Foundation and with mining operation Roy Hill to purchase the RFDS's first Pilatus PC12 NGX aircraft.

The NGX is due for delivery from Switzerland in approximately 18 months. Its latest technology will improve connectivity, safety and in-flight patient care. Logos of the Foundation and Roy Hill will be added to an existing PC-12 until the new aircraft arrives.