Trial almost downed helicopters

Auckland's rescue helicopter service almost became a victim of the fraud inquiry, the head of the organisation running it says.

A sister service, ChildFlight, a fixed wing service for ill children, was a casualty, closing in 2003, and investigations by the Department of Internal Affairs and the SFO had "nearly brought the [helicopter] organisation to the brink several times", Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust chief executive Rea Wikaira said yesterday. Yesterday's not guilty verdicts brought closure to something which had been rumbling on since 2002 and that was welcome, he said. "[But] we had moved on a long time ago because we had to. The stigma went away a long time ago.

"We have been delighted and humbled by the goodwill people in the region have shown us."

During the investigations potential sponsors had been reluctant to be associated with the service but this began to improve from the time that charges were laid.

Mr Wikaira has previously put lost revenue at at least $2 million during that period.

The trust today is on good footing and relies more on sponsorship and less on income from gaming, which had previously provided the bulk of funding.