Debt collectors could be unleashed on unsuspecting residents in the Hunter and across the state who have an outstanding ambulance bill under new laws proposed by the NSW Government.
Under the current laws, a person with an outstanding ambulance debt – unable to pay the fee could seek to have work order applied to address the matter, but under the proposed changes the Chief Commissioner of State Revenue is authorised to take action without taking court action.
Cessnock MP and Shadow Minister for Finance, Services and Property Clayton Barr has labelled the proposed changes as an extremely tough and heartless approach.
"The government are proposing to move to a very heavy-handed draconian-style model where there will be no prisoners taken. It will just seek to seize property, seize assets, seize payments and make sure that ambulance bill is paid, no matter what your circumstances are," Mr Barr said.
The State Debt Recovery Bill 2017 was first introduced into the NSW Parliament in November last year and only recently passed the Legislative Assembly last week and is set to be debated in parliament this week.
Shadow Minister for Health Walt Secord said the changes will affect those who are most vulnerable in our community.
"We will have a situation where elderly patients with chest pains will hesitate calling an ambulance in a life-threatening situation - or delay their call until it is too late. Lives will be put at risk," Mr Secord said.
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| Pictured: Clayton Barr. |
