Media Releases

Member for Swan Hill, Peter Walsh, today threw his support behind the Liberal Nationals announcement that if it wins the November election it will provide additional MICA paramedics and a single responder unit to Swan Hill as well as nine new MICA Single Responder Units in other parts of regional Victoria.
The Single Responder Units (SRUs) will deliver MICA care through a 24-hour roster, and will provide life-saving specialist-trained paramedics, significantly boosting ambulatory care in regional Victoria.
“Victorians living in regional areas will now have highly-trained paramedics available in their communities to provide much needed care during an emergency,” Mr Walsh said.
This announcement will provide ten SRU MICA paramedics across regional centres at a total capital cost, including specialised fit-out and equipment, of approximately $1 million.
Mr Walsh said this commitment follows Monday’s announcement of the biggest increase of ambulance staff in Victoria’s history. The Liberal Nationals’ plan provides for 310 new ambulance paramedics, 210 of which will be based in country Victoria, and an additional 30 patient transport officers allocated to country Victoria.
“John Brumby and his government have not planned for growth, and have failed to make the provisions required for stronger ambulance services that Victorians can rely on,” Mr Walsh said.
“Regional Victoria has pleaded with John Brumby to take action and fix the crisis in our ambulance service, yet he has ignored this.
“The Liberal Nationals’ commitment providing these extra these life-saving SRU’s will see highly-trained MICA paramedics operating in major regional centres throughout the state.
“Labor has had 11 years to fix the crisis in our ambulance service and for all those years, Victorians have heard nothing but excuses from this incompetent government.
“It’s time to take action and the Liberal Nationals will take it, because we are committed to rebuilding Victoria’s ambulance service,” Mr Walsh said.