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There are a number of strategies you can adopt to change this decision. All of them involve lobbying either the government of the day or lobbying people who can influence the government of the day. The NSW Labor Government can be contacted through the NSW Parliament site (www.parliament.nsw.gov.au), which lists the contact details for each Member of Parliament under the ‘Members’ section, you can then visit, phone, fax or email your local member.

Some groups that can influence government decisions include: Members of Parliament, other political parties, union groups, peak bodies, lobby groups, local recreational groups like bushwalkers, large industry groups like the manufacturing or mining sectors, and anyone who votes (particularly important in electorates where the current sitting member won their seat by a small number of votes). This list is by no means exhaustive, there are many other people who can be called upon to support Ambulance Rescue. Once again you can make contact with these groups in person, over the phone, by letter or email.

It is important that these groups understand how the decision to axe Ambulance Rescue service could affect them. For example, the National Farmers Federation may support us to safeguard our rural Rescue Stations and the rescue service that we currently provide because although the latest decision only affects metropolitan Ambulance Rescue stations we do expect more ‘duplication’ of services and another decision in the future that will axe our rural Ambulance Rescue services. In relation to rural ambulance rescue services, you can draft your own letter or use the letter provided in our campaign resources.

You can adopt a number of different strategies - sign a paper petition or an email petition and forward them to your friends, call up or drop in and talk to your local Member of Parliament, contact your local media - phone into talk back radio or write a letter to the editor, make contact with your closest Ambulance Rescue Station and show them your support, organise and attend a rally, contact your union and ask them to support Ambulance Rescue, etc. You can also contact other groups (as listed above) and ask them to lobby Government in this manner.

Please when you speak with the media it is important to keep your information brief, factual, and above all accurate. The media have a job to do and that involves news – so above all your story must be newsworthy. One rule of thumb with the creation of written information or press releases, and it applies equally when talking to radio or television, is the old – ‘who, what, where, when and why’? Try to personalise the issue.

If you are speaking, rehearse what you are going to say and think up possible questions/answers that may crop up in the course of the interview. If you are writing something always get someone with some knowledge of the issue to proof read your document. Other points to remember are to avoid speaking of anyone in a derogatory or abusive fashion - emotive language is fine but profanity or defamation is not, and do not divulge confidential information concerning patients or cases. A simple “I’m sorry, it is not appropriate that I comment on that” is an acceptable response.

It is important that you stay informed. Check your local media for up to date news or any upcoming events. Place yourself on a mailing list currently in circulation. Communicate with colleagues, friends, community members, etc who are also lobbying for Ambulance Rescue. And finally, return to this site, as we will endeavour to keep the information current.

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