Delays in starting a review of the culture of the ACT Ambulance Service have drawn criticism from the ACT opposition, who say the government has failed paramedics.
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The ACT government announced in October last year plans to review the organisation's culture in the wake of bullying and harassment claims.
But, five months on, no one has yet been selected to head the review. Several candidates are believed to have either pulled out or said they were unavailable, prompting delays to the start date.
The ACT government says it is still working to find appropriate candidates with the right expertise, before obtaining and assessing quotes from each.
But Shadow Emergency Services Minister Brendan Smyth said the government had dropped the ball by failing to move quickly on such an important issue. Mr Smyth called on Emergency Services Minister Simon Corbell to start the review as a matter of urgency.
"I'm very concerned that for now almost six months, the great members of our ambulance service have been working in a culture of toxicity, as the union referred to it," he said.
"There is no reason that is acceptable to leave our paramedics in a culture of toxicity . . . while the minister is incapable or unable to find somebody to do the review."
A spokesman for Mr Corbell said the government expected the review would begin by mid-May and finish at the end of August.
He said potential reviewers had been told of the expected start and finish dates, and the government was working to obtain quotes from potential candidates to evaluate.
The spokesman said the terms of reference for the review had been finalised. "The progress of the review has included ongoing consultation with the Transport Workers Union to identify suitable expertise and refine the terms of reference."
TWU official Ben Sweaney said the union, who are working with government on the issue, was frustrated with the delays, but said it hoped to find an appropriate candidate shortly. "While delay is regrettable, it will not and should not, reduce or in any way limit the review into ambulance culture and the serious cultural flaws that have been identified," Mr Sweaney said.
"We're hopeful that in the coming weeks we'll be able to make an announcement about a suitable and appropriate person to conduct the review."
The process is designed to look at organisational behaviour, and employees' ethical responsibilities, values and professional conduct.
The planned review would be the third involving the ACT Ambulance Service in the past five years.
It comes after the wide-ranging 2010 Lennox report, and the 2009 Auditor-General's audit of operational performance.
The TWU had been pushing for a review of ACTAS culture for some time in the period leading up to October's announcement.
In November 2012, they warned morale in the service had hit rock bottom, and management had failed to address a "dysfunctional and toxic" culture.
