Media Statement
14 November 2025
Attributable to Chief Executive Officer, Steven Underwood
The allegations aired on 60 Minutes on 19 October 2025, and the subsequent articles in the Sydney Morning Herald, were deeply concerning and distressing. The further allegations raised today in an online Sydney Morning Herald article are equally disturbing and I remain truly saddened that any person who has worked for our Service, or any member of the community, feels that we have fallen short in our commitment to providing a safe, healthy and inclusive workplace.
The Service has a duty of care, and legal obligations including confidentiality and other responsibilities, to current and former staff and will not discuss individual cases or issues raised.
We are committed to providing a safe workplace and neither I, or the Service, will tolerate harassment of any type, bullying, inappropriate behaviours, or any kind of discrimination. A safe, healthy and inclusive environment for our people is fundamental to who we are and respect at work underpins what we stand for as an organisation.
In my media statement dated 19 October 2025, I stated that the Service would conduct an independent review of the safety and workplace culture within our organisation. We have engaged with an industrial relations and employment law specialist, Cilla Robinson, who has specialist knowledge in employment and industrial matters, including sexual harassment, discrimination, Respect at Work and overall workplace culture. We are currently working with this highly regarded specialist on the scope of the review and are committed to working openly and transparently with the independent reviewer throughout the process.
The output and findings of the review, which will be conducted and concluded in a timely manner, will be provided to the NSW Government, NSW Ambulance and to our naming rights partner Westpac. I will also provide a comprehensive update, post the review, to the community.
Aviation Safety and Workplace Health and Safety
We will not compromise on the safe and effective delivery of our worldclass aeromedical and search and rescue capability. As the Accountable Manager for Air Operations, I am answerable to the community, and I am accountable to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the regulatory body, for ensuring that we are safe to operate.
To assure the community, and all who fly in our aircraft, that we are safe to operate, the Service is regularly and independently audited by CASA. This rigorous external oversight of our safety systems, and of our comprehensive and robust safety management system, is central to this assurance.
In July of this year, CASA conducted a Surveillance Audit of our Air Operations. This audit by the Regulator independently assessed our operations. CASA inspectors chose the location, date and timing of the audit and a specialist team of inspectors conducted a comprehensive audit, assessing our systems, processes, and compliance against the CASA regulatory requirements.
This 2025 CASA Surveillance Audit verified the high safety standards within the Service, with no safety alerts or safety findings in relation to our Air Operations. Three safety observations were made, identifying opportunities for enhancement of our already robust safety systems.
Alongside our CASA regulatory compliance, the Service also holds international standard (ISO) certifications for Quality, Environmental, and Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems – each requiring independent audits, which demonstrate our integrated approach and priority on safe operations and the provision of a safe, healthy and respectful workplace for our staff and volunteers.
On 28 October 2025, SafeWork attended our Broadmeadow facility and undertook an initial review of our safety management system, including workplace practices, policies, processes and procedures for which they provided an Inspection Report. The Inspection Report provided two areas of advice to the Service, identifying two items for consideration. SafeWork has been provided with documentation for further review.
I have been reassured by extensive recent feedback from our team that we are on the right track, and that our people feel supported and confident in our approach to safety and wellbeing and the cultural change that the organisation has been implementing and continues to implement.
We remain committed to providing a safe, healthy and inclusive environment, a trusted workplace where everyone is valued and respected, and a workplace that everyone is proud of and feels safe in.
ENDS
Further information on Cilla Robinson is available here.