NZ First leader Winston Peters has vowed to give St John Ambulance a funding boost if re-elected, allowing it to reach a "fully funded" status.
It's currently 72 per cent funded by the Government and Mr Peters says they'd boost it to 90 per cent, which the ambulance service has asked for.
"St John plays a critical role in our country’s health system and overall viability, particularly is provincial and rural New Zealand," he said today.
"Now we will strive to do everything in our power following the election to deliver a secure path for their future."
The Government gave a $21 million one-off funding boost to St John and Wellington Free Ambulance last year, Mr Peters says.
The ambulance service is in a financial crisis, one Government MO admits.
Last year, St John pleaded for the Government to fully fund the service, saying the current level of financing isn't sustainable.
St John chief executive Peter Bradley said 28 per cent of its funding comes from ambulance charges and fundraising.
"Although we will always fundraise for our community health programmes, we want this to be the last annual appeal where we have to ask the public to donate money to run an essential emergency service," he said last year.
St John asked for $350 million over the next four years to fully fund the service.
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