Violence towards emergency services personnel will not be tolerated. That’s the message Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett and local paramedics are sending out to the community.
Mr Bennett met with paramedics today to throw his support behind the increasingly popular social media campaign #ZeroTolerence, a nation-wide drive to protect emergency services personnel.
The campaign follows a significant increase in assaults against paramedics and other emergency personnel across the state.
Mr Bennett said reported assaults on paramedics in the Wide Bay alone had doubled in the past year.
“The most recent data available shows that in the 2014-15 financial year, there were 12 assaults on paramedics in the Wide Bay,” he said.
He said state-wide, reported assaults on paramedics throughout Queensland had jumped by almost 20% in one year, with 247 incidents being recorded during the 2014-15 financial year.
“That’s just what has been reported, but that number could be a lot higher as I’m hearing some assaults go unreported by ambulances officers.”
Mr Bennett said he fully supported the campaign to unite emergency services personnel and the broader community with the core message that the perpetration of aggression and violence towards and against paramedics and other emergency services staff is unacceptable.
He said the LNP understood the need for greater protection of health workers and while in government had introduced a Safe Night Out Strategy to stamp out the violence.
“As part of the former LNP Government’s Safe Night Out Strategy to crack down on violence, if you commit an aggravated serious assault on a nurse, doctor, paramedic – or any health professional – you could be hit with up to 14 years imprisonment,” he said.
Mr Bennett encouraged others to get on board and support the zero tolerance campaign.
“This is about ensuring our dedicated, hardworking emergency service personnel get to go home safely to their families at the end of their shift,” he said.
“I am hearing reports of paramedics being verbally or physically abused on a daily basis. These incidents prevent them from doing their job of ultimately saving lives.
“Paramedics and other emergency service personnel should be able to get on with their job without feeling that their own safety is threatened.
“There’s no excuse for verbally or physically abusing those who are just trying to help. The violence has to stop.”
Mr Bennett said he supported the implementing of further measures and reiterated the LNP’s support to fast-track a trial of body-worn cameras for Queensland paramedics.
“The rise in violence towards our health workers is concerning…. it’s happening in our hospitals, it’s happening on the front line for police, and it’s happening on the front line for our paramedic workers,” Mr Bennett said.
He said GoPros would provide evidence of assaults and make people think twice about throwing punches at paramedics.
ENDS.
January 12, 2016.