Ambulance Services In Crisis

Ms HARTLAND (Western Metropolitan) -- My adjournment matter today is addressed to the Minister for Health.

Ambulance services in Victoria are in crisis. Despite promises from the Victorian Labor government for response times of 10 minutes, they now aim for 15 minutes and in many cases the wait is longer than that. Our paramedics do an amazing job in extremely difficult circumstances, yet there are few rewards and poor conditions. An 8-hour break between shifts of up to 14 hours puts both paramedics and patients at risk.

A leaked email this week showed the Victorian government knows that 10-hour breaks for paramedics are inevitable, yet they continue to fight against them.

It is in everyone's interest that the government stop fighting our paramedics and support the 10-hour breaks as a minimum.

Yet more is needed for our ambulance services. Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance paramedic numbers are declining due to a lack of incentives and government attention. MICA services should be available to all residents of Melbourne. Regional towns and cities also desperately need investment to improve services, with fair pay for paramedics, improved rosters and, of course, 10-hour rest breaks.

Our highly trained paramedics deserve a fair wage outcome and good conditions for the work they do, often done for little more than the satisfaction they receive for saving people's lives and helping those in need. This should not be relied on. Our paramedics deserve more.

I ask the minister to urgently resolve the enterprise bargaining negotiations currently being undertaken with Ambulance Employees Australia, including a commitment to a 10-hour break for paramedics.