PCX
I bow to your superior interpretation of the CAO and that 3A is the requirement and 2.3 and 2.4 are "interpretations" for 3A and it would only apply to Charter Ops.
But was it an AWK flight or a Charter flight? ATSB seem to think so
Type of Operation: Other Aerial Work
However, this is where the legal eagles will have a field day.
If it was AWK the only persons that should have been carried were the patient, medical personnel and the flight crew.
Persons other than the flight crew are not permitted on AWK fights unless they have a function to the safe operation of the aircraft - medical personnel meet this requirement.
But would a "patient's partner" have a function on the flight?