Alice Springs ambulance crews attacked 100 times in 2026
St John paramedics in Alice Springs have been assaulted 100 times in 2026.
A patient attacked Alice Springs paramedics with punches and spitting during transport to hospital this week. St John data shows this was the 100th assault on ambulance staff in 2026.
Most attacks were physical violence. St John operates just three 24-hour crews and 45 paramedic staff in its intensive care unit.
Abbey Studley was brutally attacked in October 2024. She took over 20 punches to her head.
She lost sight in one eye. She suffered a traumatic brain injury.
She spent two months in a brain injury unit in Melbourne. She returned to frontline work after 16 months away.
Possible responses include body-worn cameras and Indigenous liaison officers, though ambulance space limits some options.
Why it mattersViolence against paramedics is rising. It forces crews to stand down. It disrupts emergency response times when attacks happen during shifts.
AustraliaNorthern Territory paramedics increasingly unable to provide timely emergency care due to frequency of on-duty assaults.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 3 h ago
Open this story in InSnip →
