Health System in Crisis as Ambulance Ramping Hits an All-Time High

Media Release | 1 August 2025
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Basil Zempilas MLA
Leader of the Opposition
Libby Mettam MLA
Shadow Minister for Health
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The Cook Labor Government has failed West Australians in health at the expense of a succession of pet projects, as patients are left stranded outside emergency departments in record numbers.

The latest ramping statistics show ambulances were ramped for more than 7000 hours in July, a record, and more than any other time in history, including during COVID.

Leader of the Opposition Basil Zempilas said there was no more important and fundamental responsibility of government than caring for sick, injured and dying people.

“The Premier is quick to hold round tables and summits and set up task forces on every other issue but refuses to admit our health system is in crisis,” he said.

“Health must be the number one priority – not train lines, soccer matches, film studios, racetracks or public holidays. Nothing is more important than people’s lives.

“The Premier is not listening. He’s not listening to the experts, the frontline workers, and he’s certainly not listening to patients. He’s ignored their pleas and now the health system is at breaking point.

“On behalf of all Western Australians, I urge the Premier to make addressing the worsening hospital crisis his number one priority.”

Shadow Health Minister Libby Mettam said record ambulance ramping figures were a symptom of an under-resourced health system that simply did not have the capacity to cope.

“In Opposition, Roger Cook called 1000 hours of ambulance ramping, a ‘crisis’. The figure last month is 7000 hours – the worst on record. That is a catastrophe,” she said.

“West Australian patients are paying the price for Labor’s neglect of our health system.

“Let’s not forget – when an ambulance is parked outside an emergency department, there is a patient inside waiting for care.

“It also means those ambulances parked outside a hospital emergency department can’t respond to calls from other patients requiring urgent medical care.”

Ms Mettam said the State Government blaming the winter flu season for record ambulance ramping rang hollow.

“The winter flu season happens every year and in fact Western Australia has some of the lowest flu rates in the country and still the hospital system is crippled,” she said.

ENDS

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