Shadow Emergency Services Minister, Martin Aldridge MLC, has condemned the State Labor Government for using its overwhelming majority in Parliament to block crucial protections for WA’s emergency service volunteers seeking support for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“In an appalling use of power, Labor members have watered down a motion that sought to provide equal PTSD protections for volunteer emergency responders, as already afforded to their paid counterparts,” Mr Aldridge said.
“A massive 93 per cent of emergencies in WA are attended by volunteers, yet volunteers are still denied the same presumptive PTSD protections granted to ambulance paramedics in early 2022 and career firefighters in mid-2023.”
Presumptive protections ensure that following a PTSD diagnosis, it is presumed the injury is as a result of their service.
Mr Aldridge said this was significant for volunteers and their families.
“These protections are important as they can eliminate the need for volunteers to fight long and costly battles to demonstrate their injury is related to their emergency service volunteering – a process which can often be re-traumatising.”
Emergency services personnel, whether paid or volunteers, are three times more likely to be diagnosed with PTSD compared to the general population.
“Yet yesterday’s Parliamentary outcome saw Labor refuse to make any commitment to afford the same level of protection to volunteers.”
Western Australia is served by more than 30,000 emergency service volunteers including those in the St John Ambulance service, who are consistently on the front lines in times of crisis.
“These volunteers bear the brunt of traumatic incidents – from fires to floods, shark attacks, drownings, road trauma, and other medical emergencies – and these are not without impact.
“We must ensure we protect the physical and mental wellbeing of our volunteers or risk losing their invaluable service.”
In October 2023 the State’s Volunteer Associations took the extraordinary step to write to the Minister for Emergency Services to express their ‘profound disappointment’ in the government’s position on this issue.
“I thank the Volunteer Associations for their strong advocacy and unified position on this important matter,” Mr Aldridge said.
“Yesterday’s decision by members of the Labor Party is yet another slap in the face of volunteers who serve our State so well.”
“The gratitude expressed ad nauseum by Members of Parliament comes to nothing but lip service when their actions on the floor of Parliament this week have shown their true colours on this issue,” he said.
