COTA SA warmly welcomes the announcement that a re‑elected Labor Government will expand the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme (PATS), delivering significant improvements that will ease financial pressures for regional South Australians who must travel to receive essential healthcare.

Under the commitment, announced yesterday by the Labor Government with Cancer Council SA, eligible country residents would be entitled to around three times greater reimbursement for accommodation when travelling for specialist or hospital treatment under the scheme.

Importantly, eligibility for the travel subsidy will broaden, allowing people who live between 50km and 100km to access mileage reimbursement, when they travel a cumulative 300km‑per‑week for oncology and renal services. Currently, the scheme is only available to those living more than 100km from Adelaide, meaning that residents in the state’s oldest demographic region of Victor Harbor and Goolwa just miss out, at around 90km from Adelaide.

COTA SA Chief Executive Miranda Starke says COTA SA welcomes this election commitment, noting the impact that increased PATS support would have on older South Australians in regional South Australia who consistently cite transport and access to health services as their major concerns, alongside cost of living.

“These changes will make a huge difference for many older South Australians living in regional communities.”

In particular, Miranda says, older people living in the lower Fleurieu would be able to benefit from PATS for the first time.

“Older people in Victor Harbor and Goolwa often highlight that they miss out on access to public transport because they live regionally, but they’re not considered regional enough to access PATS. Although the proposed changes come with some eligibility criteria, we are very pleased that residents of our oldest region will have better access to transport, health and cost of living support, under this commitment.”

“COTA SA has championed the need for improved patient transport support over an extended period, raising the issue in meetings with Government ministers, in our 2025 State Budget submission, and within our recent Voices of Older South Australians report. We have also included a recommendation for PATS reform in our 2026 election platform, which was shared with major parties late last year.

“We have been consistent supporters of Cancer Council SA in their calls to increase the accommodation subsidy under PATS, which we believed was long overdue.

“We are pleased to see this advocacy reflected in commitments that will directly improve the wellbeing of older people across the state.

“We know that cost‑of‑living pressures are the number one concern for older people, and for those living regionally there is an added financial burden when they need to travel long distances for essential medical care.

“Older people in regional South Australia consistently tell us that access to healthcare and transport are among their top concerns. Reforms that ease the financial strain of long‑distance medical travel are important and very welcome.

“We acknowledge the advocacy and leadership of Cancer Council SA in driving this issue forward for regional South Australians, and the recognition of these challenges reflected in this election commitment,” Miranda concluded.