Bail amendment targets people most afraid to call for overdose help

Parliament's Health Select Committee heard submissions on the Good Samaritan bill in late June. The bill's Bail Act amendment offers legal protection specifically to people on bail conditions who call emergency services during overdoses. Those already enmeshed in the criminal justice system face steeper consequences if they seek help, making them most likely to delay or avoid calling for an ambulance. The amendment's precise wording will determine whether it removes that barrier.