Photo caption: Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall, left, standing with Inverell-based NSW Ambulance paramedics yesterday, supporting their calls for professional recognition and fairer pay and conditions.
Wednesday, 13 December 2023
MEMBER for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall has stood side-by-side with Inverell’s NSW Ambulance paramedics, giving them his full support in their calls for professional recognition and a fairer pay deal from the State Government as a matter of priority.
Mr Marshall visited Inverell Ambulance Station yesterday to catch up with local paramedics who are proudly wearing their red shirts while on duty to signify solidarity in their campaign.
The local State MP said he stood firmly with the region’s paramedics in their demands for respect and a better deal from the government.
“Today and every day, I am proud to stand with our local paramedics,” he said.
“It’s well beyond time they had professional recognition, respect and fairer pay and conditions from the State Government.
“Our paramedics are incredibly hardworking and dedicated medical professionals and in most of the communities that I represent in the Northern Tablelands, they are the most experienced and the highest-qualified medical professionals we have.
“We do not have the presence of general practitioners like we used to nor, unfortunately, as many of our amazing hardworking frontline nursing staff, but our paramedics are the bulwark upon which the health system in the bush is based.
“Professional recognition and fairer pay is long overdue and something that should have been done by the previous government, but it’s bitterly disappointing that the Premier, despite promising to before the March election to do so, has not delivered on either – instead offering just platitudes and thanks.”
Mr Marshall said that despite their skills and expertise, NSW paramedics were not remunerated properly, and the region was losing numbers to Queensland.
“It’s just not right that a NSW Ambulance Paramedic can finish work here on Friday, start working in Queensland on Monday, doing the exact same job, with a $20,000 pay increase.
“No matter how many new paramedics any government commits to recruiting, until this is pay gap issue is fixed, we’re going to continue to lose just as many as we can recruit.
“Professional recognition is not just about valuing what we have; it is about stemming the haemorrhaging – the loss – of staff interstate.
“The government must act now.”