Peter Gutwein's mean-spirited and unreasonable decision to cut a travel allowance for North West ambulance crews is putting lives at risk.
Labor Member for Braddon, Anita Dow, said not only has the Premier cut the allowance, he is also trying to claw back money paid to paramedics in the past.
"Peter Gutwein has placed paramedics in an untenable position of having to travel significant distances to cover staff shortages at rural stations because his government simply has not given them the resources they require to perform their jobs," Ms Dow said.
"We now have this critical situation where Tasmanians are literally dying while they wait for help.
"We now hear Peter Gutwein and Sarah Courtney have ordered that a 46 cents a kilometre travel allowance which has been paid to paramedics for many years will no longer be paid.
"On top of this, they are going to the extraordinary length of trying to claw back the allowance that has been paid in the past and that would amount to thousands of dollars for some paramedics over years of their careers.
"It is totally unreasonable to ask paramedics to travel to do extra shifts in other areas without being paid a travel allowance.
"These paramedics are filling gaps and without their goodwill, our regional communities will be put at risk.
"The Premier must explain to Tasmanians why he has made this mean-spirited, unreasonable decision and why he is willing to increase health risks to communities for the sake of a small travel allowance."
Anita Dow MP
Labor Member for Braddon
