They say it costs $1 million a year for each and every MP in parliament – no problems there. Now why should volunteers work for nothing to help St John save $30 million to keep them operational? You, the public, or your children may have an emergency with a life-threatening problem. St John, like the police, are an essential service. Do you see the police holding raffles or selling cakes so that they can arrest the bad guys to keep you safe? When did you last see an MP working for nothing? About as often as you will see an eclipse. New Zealand has an amazing song called ‘Now is the Hour'. The hour is yours right now. If a political party isn't interested in the above they can become volunteers – we have lots of room for them. How many people know that the Fire Service is 80 per cent volunteers? Does that sound right to you? Who saves that money? It is the government of the day's responsibility to provide an ambulance service to the public or step aside. National has been a total failure in this regard, unless it's them waiting for that ambulance of course. It couldn't be a heart attack – you need a heart for that to happen.

R Chamberlain, Otumoetai.