Third Consecutive Month of Record Ambulance Ramping

Media Release | 1 October 2025
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Basil Zempilas MLA
Leader of the Opposition
Libby Mettam MLA
Shadow Minister for Health
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The Cook Labor Government has created an unenviable record with a third consecutive month of record ambulance ramping at the emergency departments of Western Australia’s public hospitals.

Traditionally in September, ambulance ramping numbers decline with the warmer weather and the end of the influenza season, but this year the numbers continue to rise, with September a record 7257 hours.

Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas said the Cook Labor Government had lost control of the health system, with three consecutive months of over 7000 hours of ambulances ramped outside emergency departments.

“Sadly, Western Australia’s health system is on the brink of collapse,” he said.

“This Premier called 1000 hours of ramping a crisis. We have now had three months in a row of seven times what Roger Cook called a crisis.

“Nothing this appears to be Government doing is working. Things are getting worse not better and that is jeopardising the care of sick, injured and dying West Australian patients.

“We see today, the Australian Medical Association, the Australian Nursing Foundation, the Health Services Union and United Workers Union have all felt compelled to come together, and in the absence of a State Government plan, come up with their own action plan.

“This is a State Government that is not listening to the experts and is not looking after patients or workers.”

Shadow Health Minister Libby Mettam said the Premier and his five Health Ministers were blaming everyone and everything else for a complete and utter failure of governing.

“These record ambulance ramping figures are a symptom of an under-resourced health system that simply does not have the capacity to cope,” she said.

It is time for the Premier and his merry-go-round of health minister to stop blaming and start fixing.”
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ENDS

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