Talk about frontline health workers – well, it doesn’t get much more front line than our ambulance paramedics.

Day in, day out, they are saving lives.

That’s why it came as a bit of a surprise to learn they are doing this in less than satisfactory conditions.

From poor infrastructure on the ground, to poor communications on the job – the Australian Paramedics Association has rightly had enough.

“Here we are sitting on a $4.5 billion surplus and you can’t even park an ambulance at Wee Waa, you can’t park them at Ashford,” union delegate Scott Clarke told The Leader not that long ago. 

“The windows were painted shut at Quirindi and the air-conditioning didn’t work. We’re putting in maintenance requests to get this stuff fixed and it’s not happening.”

In response, the NSW Ambulance Service told us regional areas are a priority. 

That $36 million is being invested over two years to refresh its radio telecommunications infrastructure. 

And we can also expect to see four more relief paramedics headed our way as part of the recent budget announcement.

That’s good to know, but why has it taken so long?

Now our local member is on the job.

Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson says he’ll meet with paramedics in both Tamworth and Gunnedah to hear their concerns and priorities.

Well, hear this Mr Anderson, our paramedics have had enough. 

What they want is action.

They’re sick of jumping up and down just to ensure their work environment is up to scratch. 

These people do an amazing job under difficult enough circumstances. They shouldn’t have to fight every step of the way just to get basic maintenance done.

So now it’s down to you, Mr Anderson, to make their concerns heard where it matters.

Convince the holders of the purse strings to dig deep and upgrade ambulance stations and provide more vehicles to paramedics in the bush. The government was thrilled to announce that giant budget surplus a week or two ago, so like a kid in a candy shop, let’s work out how at least some of it can be best spent saving lives.