Emergency services march on Newman
GLADSTONE ambulance and fire crews will join colleagues from around the state to protest against cuts to health services on the steps of state parliament today.
The protest comes as the LNP government continued to force pay cuts and redundancies across the emergency services sector, with paramedics the worst affected.
United Voice, the union representing emergency services workers, had been promising industrial action since early July, fearing budget cuts would put people's lives at risk.
"We don't want treasury officials determining the quality of the emergency services provided to Queenslanders," United Voice secretary Gary Bullock told AAP.
"If that happens people may as well get out the garden hose if there's a fire, or get a taxi to hospital if they're sick."
"We will not put the lives of Queenslanders at risk whatever action we take. But people can expect to see firefighters and paramedics in the streets throughout Queensland," he said.
Buses are taking paramedics and firies from Gladstone to Brisbane for the demonstration, scheduled to start at noon.
More to come.
