Portland District Health's helipad has been closed since late 2022

In a letter seen by The Standard the chief executive officer and director of aviation safety Pip Spence said helicopter landing sites located off a regulated airport were not regulated under aviation safety regulations.

"This is because of the operational capability and flexibility of helicopters," the letter stated.

"CASA provides guidance for planning, designing and operating helipads like the one at Portland hospital, but there are no legislative requirements to monitor or oversee their operation."

The letter stated CASA understood the helicopter operator had chosen to stop operating at Portland District Health helipad due to the risk of downwash injuring people nearby.

The letter appears to contradict what Minister for Ambulance Services, Gabrielle Williams, said last month that an audit of the Portland District Health helipad in late 2022 found improvements were needed to "ensure compliance with current CASA regulations".

She said Portland Airport was being used as the preferred alternative landing site while Ambulance Victoria, Glenelg Shire Council and Portland District Health continued to explore options and worked with relevant stakeholders to resolve the matter.

South West Coast MP Roma Britnell said the minister had sought to blame CASA's regulations for the closure "yet CASA have been clear that no such change to regulations has occurred".

"When will the minister give the community certainty and provide a path for the reinstatement of air ambulances using the PDH helipad?," she asked.

"I am furious for the Portland community, who have gone more than half a year without this vital health service whilst the minister tries to find someone to blame.

"Lives could be lost as a result of the additional travel time required when not using the PDH helipad and this is unacceptable. The Portland community campaigned long and hard for the helipad at PDH. They deserve better from the minister than an excuse which doesn't stack up or have a potential solution for this critical service."

A state government spokesman said a review into potential helipad options was underway, and Portland District Health was working closely with key stakeholders in the community to identify a safe alternate landing site.

It's understood the risks at the current site relate primarily to the proximity of pedestrians, road traffic and hospital infrastructure to aircraft operations. Alternative landing sites at Portland Airport have been supporting patients who need to be transported by air.

In March federal Wannon MP Dan Tehan said the closure was putting lives at risks and he urged the federal parliament to reopen it as a matter of urgency.

"This helipad came into use in 2014," he said.

"It came into operation because the community raised funds and agitated to get a helipad in the centre of town."

He said it was a vital service and the community had been left in the dark as to why it had been closed.

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