Arabic version: تأخّر سيارات الإسعاف في تسمانيا يقترب من 17 ألف حالة

According to ABC News, Tasmanians who called Triple Zero were told no ambulance was immediately available nearly 17,000 times in 2025-26, averaging about 46 incidents each day.

Health department figures obtained by the Labor opposition recorded the incidents as delayed activations, defined as taking three minutes or longer for a vehicle to be dispatched. The total was 30 per cent higher than the previous year, while total Triple Zero calls rose 6 per cent to 115,735.

Labor health spokesperson Sarah Lovell described the figures as “deeply concerning”, saying Tasmanians should be confident an ambulance would be available when needed. Health and Community Services Union state secretary Robbie Moore said ambulance unavailability was linked to hospital bed block and said life-or-death situations were regularly affected.

Health Minister Bridget Archer said demand had increased and that all Triple Zero calls were triaged according to clinical need. She said a delayed ambulance could be attending a patient with a higher-acuity medical episode, while maintaining that callers who need an ambulance will receive one.

The data also showed no significant improvement in median ambulance response times in any region over the past two years. Labor said the figures showed the government’s proposed ambulance ramping protocol had not worked, while Ms Archer said the government remained committed to the policy.