12 minutes ago

Hato Hone St John to receive $21 million in government funding

12 minutes ago
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Hato Hone St John will receive almost $357 million in taxpayer funding this financial year. Photo: Supplied / St John Ambulance

Hato Hone St John will receive $21 million in government funding Minister of Health Casey Costello and Minister for ACC Matt Doocey have announced today.

This brings the total funding to nearly $357m from Health New Zealand and ACC for the 2024/25 financial year.

"Hato Hone St John provides an essential service by ensuring people receive timely treatment in an emergency. This is a significant uplift in a constrained financial environment," Costello said.

Earlier this year ambulance workers and call takers took strike action for the first time, saying they were burnt out and underpaid.

St John had confirmed no further industrial action would disrupt road ambulance services, Costello said.

"I am also pleased to see that negotiations with Hato Hone St John's unions have been settled."

Doocey said the investment would allow Hato Hone St John to continue to deliver their ambulance sevices.

"We know that adequate funding of our road ambulance services is essential to ensuring New Zealanders have access to emergency health care."

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