Ryan Park
Minister for Health
Minister for Regional Health
Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast

Steve Whan
Member for Monaro

MEDIA RELEASE

Additional NSW Ambulance paramedics for Queanbeyan community

Friday, 31 July 2026

Queanbeyan and surrounding communities are set to benefit from a boost to frontline healthcare, with an additional 14 paramedics due to stary in early 2027.

These paramedics will be part of the fourth intake of 125 paramedics planned for regional NSW as part of the Minns Labor Government's regional 500 initiative. This expansion will help strengthen emergency and mobile healthcare services across the southern NSW region and support growing demand for ambulance services.

NSW Ambulance is continuing consultation with staff and the Health Services Union to finalise proposals for the remainder of the fourth intake of 125 paramedics planned for regional NSW under the program.

Under the Regional 500 initiative, an additional 58 paramedics are already working across the southern part of the state, including 17 additional paramedics who commenced at Cooma Ambulance Station earlier this year.

The fourth intake follows the successful rollout of previous Regional 500 cohorts, with 375 paramedics commencing work across regional NSW since the initiative launched in 2024.

Future locations continue to be determined through NSW Ambulance's evidence-based service and workforce planning, as well as consultation with staff and the Health Services Union.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park:

"The Minns Government is delivering on our commitment to strengthen ambulance services in regional, rural and remote communities by rolling out an additional 500 paramedics across the state.

" We are recruiting more paramedics and building more ambulance stations to deliver faster response times and better outcomes for communities like Queanbeyan.

"After 12 years of neglect by the Coalition, we are rebuilding a strong healthcare workforce to ensure our essential services can meet community needs, now and into the future."

Quotes attributable to Member for Monaro, Steve Whan:

"This upgrade is all about the growth Queanbeyan is experiencing with the new communities in Googong and South Jerrabomberra. 

"My first task in 2023 was to get our Queanbeyan ambulance service up to the staffing levels it was meant to have - fixing the Nationals' neglect. Since then, I have focused on making sure we have enough paramedics for the future to make sure Googong and South Jerrabomberra residents get appropriate response times.

"I've worked closely with Health Minister Ryan Park and the Ambulance service on this and this massive boost of 14 paramedics is by far the best way of giving our communities the service they need."

Quotes attributable to NSW Ambulance Interim Chief Executive Clare Beech:

"The Regional 500 initiative is helping NSW Ambulance build a stronger and more sustainable workforce to help us meet increasing demand for ambulance services across the state.

"NSW Ambulance will continue consulting with staff and unions as we plan for the next intake of paramedics and work to ensure our resources are aligned with the healthcare needs of local communities."