Kiama MP Gareth Ward watches a demonstration of a defibrillator. Photo: Supplied.
Kiama MP Gareth Ward has repeated his calls for the NSW Government to mandate defibrillators in all public buildings.
In March last year, Mr Ward introduced to the NSW Parliament a bill that, if adopted, would require the installation and registration of Automated External Defibrillators (AED) in public buildings and on all modes of public transport.
At the time, he said the bill was about saving lives.
“The NSW road toll is lower than the number of people who die from a preventable cardiac arrest,” he said.
As Illawarra MPs announced the organisations to receive government funding to install defibrillators, Mr Ward said he would continue to plead with Premier Chris Minns and his government to back the bill.
“With 3800 people on average dying from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest every year, something needs to be done when this figure is several times the national road toll,” Mr Ward said.
He also congratulated the South Australian Parliament for introducing similar legislation that makes AEDs mandatory in public buildings.
The laws, which came into effect on 1 January, mean AEDs must be in place in all South Australian Government-owned buildings, facilities and emergency service vehicles, including public primary and secondary schools, the State Library and major sporting and entertainment venues.
However, a spokesperson for NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said there was a lack of evidence that wider dissemination of AEDs outside key public areas improved survival rates.
Most cardiac arrests occurred in the home and not in public areas including workplaces, the spokesperson said.
In 2022, NSW Ambulance partnered with the GoodSAM responder app, which alerts registered responders when someone near them goes into cardiac arrest and a triple zero (000) call has been received.
The app guides the volunteer to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while an ambulance is dispatched.
In August 2024, the NSW public access defibrillator registry was incorporated into the free GoodSAM app so responders can see whether an AED is located near a person experiencing cardiac arrest and use it to improve that person’s chance of survival.
There are almost 4600 AEDs on the GoodSAM AED registry in NSW.
“We have made significant investments in a range of evidence-based initiatives to improving survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest,” Mr Park said.
“AEDs alone don’t save lives, people with AEDs do.
“It’s important to have defibrillators around the community, but if people don’t know their location or feel confident in using them, they’re going to be of little help in a life-and-death situation.”
The NSW Government has allocated $2 million for the Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program over four years, from 2022-2026.
The grants, of up to $3000, are open to sporting clubs and facility owners.
Mr Ward said while he was pleased the Marshall Mount Progress Association had received $2079 funding to purchase a defibrillator, more needed to be done.
“Whilst I welcome the State Government and the NSW Minister for Sport supporting the Marshall Mount Progress Association with this funding, I will continue to plead with the Premier Chris Minns and the NSW Labor Government to back my bill to ensure defibrillators are mandatory in all public buildings and all modes of public transport,” he said.
Other Illawarra groups to receive funding under the program are:
- Wollongong Sporting Car Club (Huntley): $1595
- Corrimal Rotary Club’s Environment Group: $2935
- Port Kembla Sailing Club: $2459
- Five Islands Outrigger Canoe Club: $2450
- Goats Creek Boardriders Club: $2439
- Lake Illawarra Cricket Club: $2620
- Corrimal Junior Rugby League Football Club: $2450.
Loading ...
