By Duncan Murray
Premier Dominic Perrottet has denied he called Health Minister Brad Hazzard to receive a faster ambulance response for his sick wife Helen.
Mr Perrottet was grilled on Sky News over a call he made to Mr Hazzard and Ambulance Commissioner Dr Dominic Morgan which resulted in an ambulance being sent to his house.
Dominic Perrottet and his wife Helen in Parramatta in early March.Credit: Nick Moir
Mr Perrottet said he wasn’t looking for special treatment and doesn’t know if the commissioner personally ordered an ambulance for his wife to avoid prolonged wait times.
“My wife was sick at the time and was paralysed in bed and I actually spoke to Brad Hazzard in relation to that matter and an ambulance was organised in the ordinary course,” Mr Perrottet said.
The premier said he was on his way back from an event at the time when he made the call to Mr Hazzard.
“I spoke to Brad to get his advice in relation to the situation. Brad was actually randomly enough with the head of ambulance [Morgan] at that time,” he said.
Asked why he would call the health minister for advice about his sick wife instead of a doctor, Mr Perrottet replied he is “very close” to Mr Hazzard.
“I often speak to Brad on a whole range of issues relating to matters such as that,” he said.
“I certainly didn’t ask for any favours.”
The NSW premier was grilled on Sky News on Tuesday night.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
The NSW Paramedics Association sounded the alarm this week on issues they say are affecting ambulance services by promising industrial action.
As well as better pay, the union is calling for more specialist paramedics and patient transport officers, triaging reform, and huge funding boosts for regional health and community healthcare.
AAP
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