ACT Government's Emergency Services Funding Attacked by Union

The union representing emergency services workers has attacked the ACT government's funding package for frontline services, saying it is short by about 50 staff needed to prevent station closures.

This morning the ACT government announced it would spend $94.3 million over four years to boost frontline emergency services, funding more paramedics, firefighters and upgraded equipment across Canberra.

The new roles come in response to an ACT Ambulance Service review last year that found "chronic" understaffing, worsening response times and overnight shifts routinely operating below minimum staffing levels.

The government said the investment would fund 32 new ACT Ambulance Service roles, including 20 paramedics, six intensive care paramedics and six operational support positions.

ACT Fire & Rescue is set to receive 35 new roles, including 29 firefighters and six operational support staff.

But Transport Workers' Union (TWU) organiser Ben Sweaney said the additional positions would still leave emergency services understaffed by about 50 workers.

"We know we need 140 paramedics to sustain the roster, and if we want to open Molonglo, that's going to leave us 50 short."

Mr Sweeney said additional staff would "prop up the roster" in the short term, but not in the long term, leading to station closures similar to what happened when Acton opened without enough staff.

"We shouldn't make that same mistake again," he said.

"We don't expect this in one hit. What we wanted was a plan to say, in this year we'll deliver X and next year Y."

In the pre-budget announcement, ACT Treasurer Chris Steel said the funding was a "deliberate policy decision" to support a growing city.

Emergency Services Minister Marisa Paterson said the investment reflected "a commitment to supporting the people who keep Canberrans safe".

"We're investing in more frontline responders for the ACT Ambulance Service and ACT Fire & Rescue to meet the demands of our growing city," Dr Paterson said.

$3.8m for new police headquarters and city station

The pre-budget package also includes funding for buildings, workshops and equipment, including $3.8 million to progress a proposal for a combined ACT Police Headquarters and City Police Station in Civic.

The combined ACT Police Headquarters and City Police Station is under procurement and will be located close to ACT Courts, ACT government buildings and the Australian Federal Police.

The government said ACT Fire & Rescue would operate out of the new Molonglo Emergency Services Station, which is now complete.

"With construction now complete on the new Molonglo Emergency Services Station, we're delivering and planning for additional first responders in one of our fastest growing regions," Dr Paterson said.

Some of the $94.3 million will also go toward data systems, equipment and workshops, including upgrades or replacements for 43 Emergency Services Agency (ESA) vehicles.

The government said funding would also improve the ESA's in-house workshop and support the hiring of two additional mechanics.

More than $5 million will be spent on modernising emergency services' response systems, including radio systems.