LISMORE MP Janelle Saffin has met with local paramedics to hear them on the need for a new flood-free, purpose-built ambulance station in Lismore, for more paramedics to be recruited to the Northern Rivers region, and their rightful pursuit of professional recognition.

Ms Saffin says the Lismore Ambulance Station in Keen Street has served the city well but had been inundated by floodwaters three times in the past six years.

“Our ambos are temporarily sharing Southern Cross University’s mailroom with Police Rescue, so if the Government is planning to open 22 more ambulance stations over the next three years, surely Lismore has a very strong case to be one of those,” Ms Saffin says.

Ms Saffin says NSW Labor’s $150-million commitment to fund an additional 500 paramedics over four years should help ease the workload pressures that our frontline emergency healthcare workers have been facing for many years.

“This commitment is over and above the Government’s June 2022 announcement that it will recruit 1,858 paramedics over four years,” Ms Saffin says.

“The Health Services Union estimates that if our region secured up to 100 extra paramedics, it could give us 24/7 coverage in most stations, so I will be fighting for our fair share of an expanded workforce.”

The MP has made representations on both of these issues to the Minister for Health Brad Hazzard and the Ministers responsible Anthony Roberts and Steph Cooke, and the Shadow Ministers Ryan Park, Paul Scully and Jihad Dib. 

Ms Saffin added that NSW Labor will also seek bipartisan support for an in-principle agreement to the outcomes of the NSW Government’s taskforce looking at professional recognition for paramedics.

Professional recognition for paramedics will formally acknowledge the higher levels of education, training and skills required of paramedics over the years.