Tasmanian paramedics are threatening to take industrial action over the potential disciplining of a colleague who appeared at a Labor media conference during the election campaign.
The party used an ambulance as a backdrop to announce their ‘Paramedics Plan for a Better Future’ policy over the weekend, promising to employ an extra 168 paramedic staff across the state and invest $45 million in infrastructure, including more ambulance trucks.
The Liberals said the “political stunt” by Labor breached election caretaker regulations and said they would be asking for an investigation.
“The Liberal Party will be writing to the Head of the State Service asking that the matter be investigated as a matter of urgency,” Health spokesman Guy Barnett said.
“Vital health resources are not Labor playthings. It’s a shame Ms White needs to be reminded of that.”
Now, the Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) is warning the State Service against probing the paramedic’s presence at the media conference.
They say any repercussions will result in potential industrial action, including allowing all HACSU members to speak to the media during the election campaign and holding rolling stop-work meetings.
