Unions: Mayors Should Collect Levy

Date: 20 December 2002

Queensland's mayors should stop playing political games and agree to collect the state government's planned ambulance levy, according to Queensland Council of Unions General Secretary Grace Grace.

Unions call on mayors to implement ambulance charge - Qld Council of Unions media release 19 "The Local Government Association of Queensland is meeting in Brisbane today to discuss the ambulance levy, and I think this would be the perfect opportunity to put aside petty political point scoring and give full support to the government's proposal," said Ms Grace.

"The proposed Community Ambulance Cover is a fair and mature response by the state government to provide total ambulance cover for all Queenslanders, as well as ensuring the quality of that service."

"The state government has costed the various methods of collecting this revenue, and have rightly identified local government collecting the charge as the best value option. This will ensure that the maximum amount of revenue is spent on providing this essential service, instead of being frittered away on duplicating an existing means of collection."

"At this time of the year it is especially mean-spirited of Queensland's mayors to be opposing the government's ambulance proposal with what are fairly trivial objections."

"The ambulance levy is not being introduced for another six months," Ms Grace noted. "Surely that is plenty of time for the LGAQ to work through any administrative objections it might have."

For further information

Contact:	Gavin Sawford, Media/Communications Officer
Union:	Labor Council of NSW
Phone:	(07) 3846 2468
Fax:	(07) 3844 4865
Email:	gavins@qcu.asn.au
WWW:	http://www.qcu.asn.au

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