Claims extracted
23
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
13%
3 of 23 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans right
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
68/100
ABC News (AU)'s corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
In short:
Labor has pledged a crackdown on people who are aggressive towards Victorian paramedics if re-elected, including forcing patients to pay for ambulance care if they abuse or assault staff.
asserted
they → pledge → staff
The move has been welcomed by Victoria's ambulance union which says more than half of its members were threatened with violence over the past year.
asserted
half → welcome → year
Advocacy groups, however, warn vulnerable people could be left without vital services.
uncertain
people → warn → services
The Labor Party says it will force abusive patients to pay for their ambulance rides if re-elected in Victoria next month.
asserted
it → say → Victoria
Premier Ben Carroll announced an election commitment to crack down on patients assaulting or intimidating paramedics, stripping them of their Ambulance Victoria membership and charging them for the ride.
asserted
patients → announce → ride
"If you assault a paramedic, if you threaten or intimidate a paramedic, it does not give you the right to have free public transport by that paramedic," Mr Carroll said.
asserted
Carroll → assault → paramedic
Under the proposed system, abusive patients would have their membership revoked for 12 months, forcing them to pay costs of more than $2,000 for ambulance care.
asserted
membership → propose → care
The plan would come with a new patient charter devised by the government and Ambulance Victoria.
asserted
plan → come → government
"When you pay your $56 for an Ambulance Victoria membership, you are signing up to a code of conduct," Mr Carroll said.
asserted
Carroll → pay → conduct
"If you are someone who has been a repeat offender or if you have actually acted out a violent episode with a paramedic, that would look at immediate suspension."
Ambulance Victoria would have the final say on whether a patient has been abusive and should have their membership revoked.
asserted
membership → act → say
Mr Carroll said it should be left to medical professionals "who know their patients" to determine what constitutes abuse or intimidation.
asserted
what → say → abuse
The announcement comes amid a reported rise in attacks on first responders and paramedics.
asserted
announcement → come → responders
The government said in the past year, 59 per cent of union members at Ambulance Victoria were threatened with violence and 28 per cent were assaulted.
asserted
cent → say → violence
Acting Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Olga Bartasek said the move was a welcome step to stemming a rising tide of violence.
asserted
move → act → violence
"These things are just escalating and we need something to de-escalate," she told 774 ABC Melbourne.
asserted
she → escalate → something
"This year we've had a paramedic that was stabbed, that was one of the first ones here in Victoria.
asserted
that → have → Victoria
"We had a member last week who had stitches in their head because they had been hit over the head with a bottle."
Advocates warn of potential negative effects of withholding care
asserted
Advocates → have → care
Spokesperson David Taylor commended Labor's focus on protecting ambulance workers but said reducing access to healthcare for those with serious needs was problematic.
asserted
reducing → commend → needs
"For some folk who may well be unwell, whether with mental health issues or alcohol and drug or other things, they may not necessarily be able to grasp or be in a situation where they can consider the consequences of their actions," Mr Taylor said.
uncertain
Taylor → grasp → actions
"So they wouldn't consider this policy when engaging in potentially inappropriate behaviour."
asserted
they → consider → behaviour
Mr Taylor also questioned how the policy would be enforced.
asserted
policy → question → ?
"Let's say they're involved in a serious accident or something like that, are they actually really going to get turned away?
asserted
they → say → that
"If you're experiencing a significant level of disadvantage, to have that disadvantage exacerbated through reduced access to health services or financial penalties ... may be the inadvertent outcome from such a policy," he said.
uncertain
he → experience → policy
The Aporia