Outside the Ambulance Service of NSW Headquarters
Balmain Road ROZELLE
Thursday 17 September 2009
1100 Assembly, 1200 midday Speeches/Media commence

EMSPA (NSW) Inc., established in 2009, was formed by NSW paramedics to highlight and help bring about the positive cultural change, which is required to bring the ASNSW?s archaic management practices into the 21st Century.

EMSPA (NSW) Inc is a legitimate support organization for ambulance employees, yet they have been BANNED from the ASNSW workplace by CE Greg Rochford.

On Thursday 17 September, EMSPA will be sending ASNSW CE Mr Greg Rochford a clear message that EMSPA will not tolerate further breaches of Freedom of Association. EMSPA publically denounce the behaviour of both himself and his management in relation to BANNING EMSPA (NSW) Inc. from the workplace.

This protest rally will also highlight the ongoing stalling tactics and inaction by CE Greg Rochford to implement the recommendations of the 2008 parliamentary inquires into the The Management of the NSW Ambulance Service.

Implementation of the General Purpose Standing Committee No.2 recommendations is up for review in October 2009.

The Hon Robyn Parker MLC stated in her report on the ASNSW in 2008, ?The Committee was distressed to hear the depths of despair experienced by some paramedics as a result of bullying and harassment?which in numerous cases has led to depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide.?

The lack of significant change by the ASNSW and their middle and upper management need to be put on notice that THEIR staff will no longer tolerate lip service to matters identified by parliamentary inquiries that are of significant importance to the running of the 'Most Trusted Profession' within NSW.

The stakeholders of NSW deserve and have a right to know that their Ambulance Service is run professionally and that morale among the staff providing prehospital care is high and of paramount importance to CE of ASNSW Greg Rochford.

Other Key Points

• ASNSW in denial about appalling staff morale
• Chronic understaffing leaves NSW public at risk: ambulance resources struggle to keep up with population growth
• Paramedics responding on urgent duty risk personal fines and charges
• EMSPA NSW continues to gain support with an Ambulance membership of 600 in just 6 months of operation

The NSW Executive committee are pleased to announce that our membership base is now in approaching 550. This is a huge achievement for an Association less than 6 months old and we are very pleased with this growth. Our caseload is increasing for individual members and those who do contact the Association have expressed how grateful they are at the availability and ease of contact with our support personnel. We are very proud to have been able to fill this void so well in such a short period of time.

We are awaiting the completion of legal processes prior to some exciting announcements that will benefit every paramedic in NSW. Also, as cases flow through to completion, some members may share their stories within the forum, to illustrate the benefits of being an EMSPA member.

As stated from day one, this Association will be run by its members. Our first poll on representation of new members will close on 31st August. We encourage EVERY MEMBER to simply log onto the site and have your say. There will be more information about this poll in the upcoming July-August newsletter.

Again, thank you to all NSW Paramedics and Patient Transport Officers who have joined EMSPA.

EMSPA NSW Inc. Executive Committee