The Health Minister appeared to confirm for the first time Wednesday that he is dealing directly with St John Ambulance NT to renew the Northern Territory’s ambulance contract which was due to end in January, while the ambulance provider says it is currently in crisis due to a lack of paramedics and ambulances.

The NT Independent previously reported St John Ambulance management told staff in an email last June that the emergency response contract was to end on January 31 and was not going to open tender, with the organisation in direct negotiations with NT Health, while Health Minister Steve Edgington would not confirm at the time that it was not going to open tender.

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