South Australia Digest — local news from South Australia

A 51-year-old man died in a helicopter crash on a pastoral property west of Broken Hill on Saturday. Emergency services were called to the scene at 2:15pm, but the pilot and sole occupant was pronounced dead at the scene.

Veterans and advocates are calling for greater transparency and action on the 122 recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. A new campaign has been launched by the Open Door Initiative at Flinders University to push for accountability and progress on the recommendations.

Residents of the Riverland are reflecting on the 1956 flood, the largest flood event in South Australia's history. The flood left a lasting impact on the community, with many residents still remembering the event like it was yesterday.

A patient has died after being forgotten in a backlog of paper referrals at a Victorian hospital, the state's shadow health minister has revealed. Up to 150 patients at Mildura Base Public Hospital were left waiting for care for longer than a year.

The South Australian government spent over $123 million last financial year caring for patients stranded in hospitals waiting for aged care beds. The state's health minister has called on his federal counterpart to do more to fix the "crisis".

A Sydney development worth hundreds of millions of dollars has been pitched as the site for Australia's first proton therapy unit, a highly specialised cancer treatment machine. But with construction imminent, the project remains uncertain due to a lack of funding and unclear involvement from key organisations.

Australian producers are tapping into the growing global fine-water market, with one South Australian couple turning their underground aquifer into a premium bottled water brand. The couple's water has gained recognition, with their still water scoring a perfect 100 points at an international fine-water-tasting event.

The luxury South Australian island resort, Rumi on Louth, has been listed for sale, leaving former staff and customers uncertain about outstanding superannuation and voucher entitlements. The resort's co-owner, Che Metcalfe, has acknowledged the outstanding superannuation contributions, but insists this does not change plans for re-opening and expansion.

Small businesses in regional Australia are struggling to stay afloat as rising costs and changes to card surcharge payments loom large. Clothing shop owner Francene Martin says she feels "constant pressure" from mega competitors like Amazon, Temu and Shein.