17 February 2011

The average cost of an ambulance is less than a BMW 7 series, revealed the Green Party today.

“John Key’s Government needs to review its priorities, are BMWs for Ministers or ambulances more important?,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei.

The average ambulance cost is $150,000 for the van with $72,000 required to fit them out.

“Negotiating a discount for the bulk purchases of ambulances would be a better use of taxpayers’ money.”

Ambulances receive some of their funding from private sources. In the financial year 2007/2008, St John’s ambulance received around $19 million of private funding. Wellington Free Ambulance received $3 million of private funding.

“It seems perverse that ambulance services should have to rely on private funding, while all this public money is being spent on BMWs,” said Mrs Turei.

“This whole process has been a shambles, it turns out there is no penalty clause and the Government could have chosen a cheaper option.

“If they continue with the deal they need to come clean and release all the details of this purchase, including which luxury extras such as massage chairs and DVD players have been paid for.

“This Government is cutting spending across the board at a time when inequality and child poverty in New Zealand are growing and they are prioritising spending on themselves for luxury travel.

“This whole process has been a shambles. It turns out there is no penalty clause to get out of the contract and the Government could have chosen a cheaper option,” said Mrs Turei.

ENDS

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