7th June 2026
MEDIA RELEASE: On International Paramedics Day, all State MPs urged to address inequity for injured first responders.
As the global community prepares to mark International Paramedics Day this Wednesday, 8 July, Triple Zero Heroes is calling on all Queensland State Members of Parliament to take urgent action for permanently injured first responders who are currently denied the workplace protections available to many other Australian public servants.
Triple Zero Heroes President, Peter Vinnicombe—a former Queensland Ambulance Service paramedic with over 20 years of service—stated he was shocked to discover that many frontline emergency workers remain excluded from the QLD government Voluntary Medical Retirement (VMR) schemes simply because their respective agencies have not opted in.
“The people who risk the most to protect our communities are being left behind,” Mr Vinnicombe said.
“Supporting first responders must be about more than standing beside them for a photo opportunity or offering thanks at a press conference. It means standing up for them when their careers are tragically cut short by injury.
“How can it be fair that many administrative public servants have access to such retirement schemes, while permanently injured paramedics, police officers, firefighters, and health staff are left without that same security?”
Triple Zero Heroes, formerly known as Team Code Blue, recently rebranded to better reflect its comprehensive support for police, firefighters, and ambulance personnel. Since its inception, the organisation has provided more than $40,000 in grants to 56 first responders, including providing critical assistance to a former police officer to cover an urgent medical bill.
Mr Vinnicombe noted that the organisation sees the ongoing financial and emotional toll on first responders forced into medical retirement firsthand.
“These are individuals who have dedicated years to protecting our communities. They deserve the same workplace protections afforded to their peers across the public sector. This isn’t a political issue—it is a matter of basic fairness.”
Triple Zero Heroes is urging all Queensland State Members of Parliament to work across party lines to demand answers regarding why frontline emergency service agenciesremain excluded from VMR schemes. The organisation is advocating for immediate legislative or policy reform to ensure equal access for all public sector employees across the state.
“Our first responders have always answered the call when the nation needed them most,” Mr Vinnicombe concluded. “Now, it is time for our elected representatives to answer theirs.”

Yours sincerely,
Peter Vinnicombe
President, Triple Zero Heroes Inc.
0409908800
[email protected]
www.triplezeroheroes.org