‘Deeply concerning’: Minister to meet with NSW Ambulance over future of Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service

4 hours ago 3

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park says the community expects better after “deeply concerning” reports emerged alleging sexual harassment, bullying and victimisation within the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.

After an investigation by The Sydney Morning Herald and 60 Minutes detailed a series of serious allegations against the service, Park said he and NSW Ambulance commissioner Dominic Morgan would discuss the “way forward” in relation to Westpac Rescue with a new 10-year taxpayer-funded contract worth an estimated $500 million on the line.

Health Minister Ryan Park says the community deserves better.

“I wasn’t very pleased, to be blunt, from what I witnessed or saw over the weekend in relation to that organisation,” Park said on Thursday.

“More importantly, the community deserve and expect better than that … I respect the work they do, but that report was deeply concerning.”

Westpac Rescue, one of eight operations sponsored by the major bank, carries out missions from Newcastle to the Queensland border. There have been at least three whistleblower complaints to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service board and its executives, including one signed by 11 employees, accusing the service of endangering the health and safety of its personnel and “creating a culture of fear”.

Morgan, the NSW Ambulance commissioner, has been on leave. Park said once Morgan returns next week, they would have discussions “around improving the nature of that organisation”, including an improvement in the culture.

“That is an organisation that has received over the years, both taxpayers’ money, but more importantly, I’ll be blunt, philanthropic support through donations, hard-earned donations from many, many millions of people across this country,” Park said.

This masthead also revealed on Tuesday that Westpac Rescue’s spending on fundraising and events, including lavish Cirque du Soleil-style balls, high teas, mountain biking trips and golf days, outstripped that of other NSW services. When sponsorship money from Westpac bank is excluded, only 50 per cent of donations went into running the service.

The service holds a taxpayer-funded contract with NSW Ambulance, which is up for renewal in 2027, worth an estimated $500 million over 10 years. Park said it was too soon for the government to be making any contractual decisions.

In response to this masthead’s reporting, Westpac Rescue announced on Monday it would appoint an independent investigator to conduct an inquiry into the service. Park said on Thursday the service had not told him who would conduct the independent investigation or what the terms of reference of the inquiry would be.

“The service is proud of who we are and what we stand for,” Westpac Rescue chief executive Steven Underwood said in a statement last week. “We readily acknowledge that our organisation can always improve, and we remain committed to do so.”

The allegations made in whistleblower complaints paint a picture of an organisation determined to protect a valuable state government contract while silencing dissent and overlooking critical safety risks.

Westpac Rescue has denied “there are ongoing endemic safety or cultural issues within the organisation”.

Whistleblowers disagree. “Westpac Rescue was built to do amazing and wonderful things, but what it’s doing for the people who work there is destroying their souls,” said one former staff member.

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