Ambulance response times have worsened in Tasmania in the first two months of 2026, according to a Greens’ RTI. Meanwhile, paramedics are stepping up industrial action, following the Liberals’ failure to provide a fair deal for pay and conditions.
Average ambulance response times increased to 15.5 minutes in January of this year, and 15.6 minutes in February. This is significantly worse than the average response time of 14.9 minutes over the last two years.
When sick Tasmanians call for help, they deserve to know they’ll receive urgent care when they need it most. But increasing ambulance response times show that just isn’t the case.
Instead of taking action to fix the problem, the Liberal Government have tried to bury it. It took a Greens’ RTI to obtain the monthly ambulance response time data the Liberal Government abruptly pulled from the dashboard in February.
Enough is enough. The Liberals need to take action to ensure Tasmanians get an ambulance when they need it. At the very least, Tasmanians deserve the truth about the state of their health system.
It’s not only Tasmanians who bear the brunt of Liberal Government failures. Ambulance Tasmania staff feel it too, working under huge pressure to provide care in a service that is deteriorating due to mismanagement.
Tasmanian paramedics provide critical care in extremely stressful circumstances. They are highly skilled workers who are there during people’s times of greatest need. They deserve respect and recognition for the incredible care they give.
But the Liberal Government has failed to provide workers with the fair deal for pay and conditions they deserve. It’s no wonder they’re stepping up industrial action.
The Tasmanian Greens stand with them. The Liberal Government must recognise the essential work of paramedics by offering wages and conditions that match the value of the work they do.
