‘Without their existence, a lot of these communities are at risk’
Twelve odd years ago, Tony MacRae, chief commercial officer at Bluestone, found himself at the crossroads of corporate leadership and community service, when Westpac – his employer at the time – was approached by the Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS) seeking a board nominee.
Having recently completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course, while also fundraising for rescue helicopters at La Perouse, MacRae was encouraged to put his hand up.
“I jokingly say I think I was the only general manager on the floor that day when they came down and asked the question,” he recalls. But he was an obvious fit nonetheless, given his love of aviation and charity, and prior work across regional Queensland.
“These things resonated with me and I just thought, this would be a great opportunity to have a crack at,” says MacRae.
MacRae wasted little time in climbing the RFDS ranks.
At his very first AGM, the chairman casually mentioned that the treasurer was retiring and nominated him for the role. Despite not having an accountant background, MacRae stepped up to the challenge.
Over the years, he moved into the role of chair of the finance, audit and risk committee, a position he held for much of his twelve-year tenure.
His responsibilities stretched well beyond number-crunching – governance oversight, strategy development, and working closely with the chief executive and chief financial officer to ensure the $90-million-a-year organisation was on steady ground.
He also joined the aviation committee, eager to learn more of how the service works.
For MacRae, the RFDS is more than an organisation.
“It was great to get a perspective of the issues that happen with flying people through regional, rural New South Wales and broader areas,” he says. “Without their existence, a lot of these communities are at risk of existing.”
The service’s role in supporting rural and outback Australians, including First Nations communities and those living with chronic illness, underscored the RFDS’ national importance for MacRae.
The moment that crystallised this for him came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the NSW government turned to the RFDS to deliver vaccination clinics across the state.
The service mobilised from scratch in mere weeks, flying into remote towns and Aboriginal communities to set up operations.
“It wasn't just about turning up and jabbing people, it was also about convincing people that this is the right thing to do,” says MacRae. “The way the team mobilised and delivered that protection for the communities that were more vulnerable than a lot of others… I was proud of the team to be able to step up and deliver that.”
Having just stepped down after reaching the twelve-year maximum term, MacRae describes his time with the RFDS as a privilege.
While a bittersweet moment for MacRae, he leaves with a deep sense of pride, lifelong friendships, and admiration for the dedicated people he worked alongside.
MacRae believes deeply in the importance of adding value to the community because of lessons he learned early in life.
When his father became seriously ill, he witnessed firsthand how the local community rallied to support his mother and family during a difficult time.
That experience instilled in him a lasting appreciation for the strength and generosity of communities, and a recognition that giving back is both a responsibility and a privilege.
For him, the Royal Flying Doctors Service embodies the spirit of community support he first witnessed as a child – and it remains one of Australia’s most iconic and essential services.
