23 May, 2019
Michael Ferguson MP
Minister for Health
2019-20 Budget: Ambulance funding almost doubles
The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to improving ambulance response times across Tasmania and easing demand pressures on paramedics. That’s why we have boosted funding for Ambulance Tasmania in the 2019-20 Budget with $20 million in new funding over four years to help meet increasing demand for health services.
As our economy continues to grow, the Budget supports and encourages growth that benefits all Tasmanians, by delivering unprecedented infrastructure spending and the State’s largest ever Budget for health.
This budget is very much about maintaining the momentum and investing for growth, and health is an important component of this.
We have already significantly increased ambulance services, but we know there is still more to do, so this year’s Budget delivers $438 million over the next four years.
That’s over $200 million more than the 2013-14 Budget – an 87 per cent increase in just five years.
This is backed up by the 2019 Productivity Commission Report on Government Services, which reported that ambulance funding in Tasmania is at record levels, and well above the national average.
In this year’s Budget, we are continuing to roll out our $125 million plan for Ambulance Tasmania, including:
We will also start building and upgrading important new Ambulance Tasmania infrastructure, including:
The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to supporting our hardworking paramedics and volunteer ambulance officers by employing more staff and building vital new infrastructure.