The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) brought the heart of country and outback Australia to the nation’s capital recently, in a bid to keep rural and remote healthcare firmly on the federal political radar.
As part of Rural Health Month, the Plane in a Paddock November 2025 event saw a full-size RFDS aircraft simulator, RFDS Dental Van and an RFDS Patient Transport vehicle ‘double parked’ on the front lawns of Canberra’s Parliament House.
While the RFDS is well known for its life-saving emergency retrieval services in some of Australia’s most isolated communities, this week’s Plane in the Paddock event was an opportunity for the RFDS to show the politicians exactly what they do and how they do it.
RFDS doctors, nurses, physios and dentists are used to tackling challenging terrain and diverse patient needs across the country, 24/7.
The front-line staff who attended this week’s Parliament House event took the opportunity to share the latest medical innovations and primary health service developments with federal political leaders of all persuasions – and from all corners of the country.
As the proud Patron of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Her Excellency, the Honourable AC Ms Sam Mostyn had the opportunity to step inside a fully equipped RFDS Aircraft Simulator and to explore the innovative and state-of-the-art RFDS mobile dental unit.
Help when every minute counts
Along with VIPs and government leaders from across the country, the Governor General also witnessed first-hand how world-leading innovations like the portable brain scan stroke helmet and RFDS medical chests are changing the way that health organisations like the RFDS are able to treat remote and rural patients, when every minute counts.
The Governor General joined RFDS Federation Chair Tracey Hayes and Federation Chief Executive Emma Buchanan to formally celebrate the Service’s enduring mission of providing world-class healthcare to rural, remote, and regional Australians.
Ms Buchanan reminded guests that in the last year alone, the RFDS made more than 337,000 patient contacts, travelled the equivalent of 25 times around the Earth, and reached Australians across 7.13 million square kilometres.
The Canberra event also marked the launch of the Parliamentary Friends of the RFDS group.
Co-chaired by Claire Clutterham MP and Senator Alison Penfold, the group will bring together members and senators from across the political spectrum in support of rural and remote healthcare.
