Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison has criticised the State Government for its lengthy delays behind the long promised ambulance station – saying it is more than three years behind schedule.
Ms Aitchison has criticised the Government over delays in lodging the development application, pointing out that the former Health Minister Jillian Skinner promised $3.8 million for a new ambulance station for Maitland in March 2015.
The application lodged with Maitland City Council seeks approval for the construction of an Ambulance Station, Ancillary Training and Education Facility on Aberglasslyn Road in Rutherford.
The NSW Government’s Ministry of Health website lists a new Ambulance Station in the Maitland Region as part of the NSW Government’s $122 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration (RAIR) Program.
Ms Aitchison has asked numerous questions and made representations to successive Health Ministers about Maitland’s over-stretched ambulance services, seeking guarantees on funding for both the new building, the completion time frame, equipment and staffing for the long-promised ambulance station.
Many of these representations have been driven by numerous complaints from members of the community about the lack of adequate ambulance numbers in Maitland and rescue trucks being used instead of transport vehicles.
Ms Aitchison is calling on the Government to invest in more transport vehicles and crews.
Comments attributable to Jenny Aitchison MP, Member for Maitland
“It’s been over 3 years since former Health Minister Jillian Skinner promised $3.8 million to build a new ambulance station in the Maitland electorate and they are only just at the development application stage.”
“The NSW Government’s delay in taking action on emergency services and eagerness to sink billions into an extravagant stadium splurge betrays deeply concerning priorities.”
“Maitland has a rapidly-expanding population in desperate need of ambulance infrastructure, equipment and services which the state government has consistently failed to provide.”
“People in Maitland should not be forced to wait for ambulances that can’t even transport them to the hospital.”
“I implore the Berejiklian government not to add Maitland’s much-needed ambulance station to their list of broken promises.”
