It’s devastating to hear a man in the northwest has died while waiting more than an hour for an ambulance. I extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends, on behalf of the Tasmanian Greens.
With the man experiencing chest pains and issues breathing, this was an emergency. He should’ve received help as soon as possible – not wait a startlingly long 78 minutes for an ambulance because the station at Zeehan was unattended.
This case is a terrible example of how understaffing in the ambulance service can cost lives. The health service should have the resourcing it needs to ensure shifts don’t go unfilled, and Tasmanians can get the medical care they need.
No person experiencing a medical emergency should die because an ambulance can’t get to them in time. But twice in two weeks people have died after ambulance delays.
Evidence from Budget Estimates showed more than five times a day in 2025-2026, verified emergencies waited more than hour for an ambulance. The Tasmanian health system is no longer at breaking point – it’s broken.
Medical professionals have been warning for far too long that Tasmanians would lose their lives because of the worsening state of the health system. They presented the Liberals with solutions, but the Government have failed to act. We should never have reached this awful crisis point.
With the ambulance system now unable to keep Tasmanians safe in an emergency, any responsible and caring government would take urgent action. But the only thing this Government is doing is telling less Tasmanians to call for an ambulance.
Meanwhile, they’re continuing to cut $700 million from the health system, including the ambulance service. How many tragedies have to happen before the Liberal Government does what’s needed to fix our health system?
