❓ Hon Michelle Hofmann questions the significant cost escalation of a WA Country Health Service contract with Safety Direct Solutions for paramedic services, particularly regarding a $9 million increase. The Minister's response attributes the increase to contract extensions, service model changes, additional paramedics for the Kimberley, and flood relief efforts.
AnsweredQoN 652Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WA Country Health Service—Safety Direct Solutions
contract
652. Hon Michelle Hofmann to the parliamentary
secretary representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to the WA
Country Health Service contract with Safety Direct Solutions awarded on 16 December
2021 for $963,000 and recently revised up to nearly $10 million as of 2025 to
deliver a road-based ambulance service organisation with three full-time
paramedics.
(1) What are the reasons for the significant cost
escalations?
(2) What was this extra $9 million spent on?
Please provide a breakdown.
(3) Does the health service intend to renew this
contract and, if so, when?
contract
652. Hon Michelle Hofmann to the parliamentary
secretary representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to the WA
Country Health Service contract with Safety Direct Solutions awarded on 16 December
2021 for $963,000 and recently revised up to nearly $10 million as of 2025 to
deliver a road-based ambulance service organisation with three full-time
paramedics.
(1) What are the reasons for the significant cost
escalations?
(2) What was this extra $9 million spent on?
Please provide a breakdown.
(3) Does the health service intend to renew this
contract and, if so, when?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following answer has
been provided to me by the Minister for Health.
(1)–(3) The contract values published on
Tenders WA are estimates only and not actual current expenditure. Contract
increases beyond the estimated contract value published on Tenders WA are due
to the term being extended, a change in service model to support sustainable
service provision and additional paramedics being procured through this
contract to support Kimberley communities. This includes a fixed-term increase
to support service delivery to communities impacted by the Kimberley floods in
2023 as a result of ex–tropical Cyclone Ellie. On 8 July 2025, an open
tender was publicly advertised on Tenders WA for paramedic support for Derby,
Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek that is currently in progress.
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following answer has
been provided to me by the Minister for Health.
(1)–(3) The contract values published on
Tenders WA are estimates only and not actual current expenditure. Contract
increases beyond the estimated contract value published on Tenders WA are due
to the term being extended, a change in service model to support sustainable
service provision and additional paramedics being procured through this
contract to support Kimberley communities. This includes a fixed-term increase
to support service delivery to communities impacted by the Kimberley floods in
2023 as a result of ex–tropical Cyclone Ellie. On 8 July 2025, an open
tender was publicly advertised on Tenders WA for paramedic support for Derby,
Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek that is currently in progress.
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