Ambos at breaking point

By Jo Kennett

LOCAL AMBOS joined in state-wide strike action on Friday, February 17, calling for professional recognition, saying they are understaffed, underpaid and the system is at breaking point.

Paramedics and Ambulance Division Health Service Union (ADHSU) members gathered outside the office of Tweed MP Geoff Provest, saying NSW paramedics are the lowest paid with the highest rate of injury of any state in Australia.

They say many paramedics are leaving to work in Queensland where the pay and conditions are “substantially better”.

The strike action involved a 24-hour ban on staff leaving their allocated station to fill gaps in the roster at other stations.

The paramedics union also said they want the Perrottet government to commit to hiring another 1,500 paramedics.

Local union representative Anthony Zwegers said paramedics want parity with other services like Queensland Ambulance Service.

“Paramedics in NSW are the lowest paid in the county, with the highest workloads, the greatest population and the highest rate of injury,” Mr Zwegers told The Weekly.

“It’s not just physical injury, it’s mental health and trauma.

“The Queensland Government has recognised them as a professional entity and they are now on a professional rate of pay.

“Paramedicine is basically a university degree with high entry level requirements. We have autonomy, make our own decisions on the road, we make them rapidly and we treat the symptoms and transport them to hospital.

“We don’t have the luxury of having a doctor behind us. We play a pivotal role within the system and yet the Perrottet government chooses not to recognise us as professionals.”

Local paramedics and union members were seeking assurances from Mr Provest that he will “strongly fight for their electorate’s right to have health services in equal or better than leafy electorates in Sydney.”

Mr Provest said he was “delighted” to meet with local paramedics and union representatives and had discussed the need for “immediate action relating to their remuneration and professional development opportunities.”

“I greatly appreciate their work and strong commitment they provide to our community,” he said.

“I was only too happy to sign their petition calling on the NSW Government to take immediate action on remuneration levels and professional development.

“I strongly support our paramedics in their physically and emotionally demanding roles.”

Protesters were joined by state Labor candidate Craig Elliot, who signed the petition, saying he “proudly stood in solidarity” with local paramedics and the Ambulance Division — Health Services Union.

“Our paramedics are at breaking point and our health system is in crisis,” he said.

“Geoff Provest and his boss Dominic Perrottet have cut the pay of our hard-working frontline workers.

“Our community deserves better.”

Local ambulances have been seen around the Tweed Shire since December covered in signage demanding professional recognition, defying a government order to remove them.

“We won’t be doing that,” Mr Zwegers said.