Ambulance services
Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:10): My question is to the Minister for Ambulance Services. Last week the CEO of Ambulance Victoria hurriedly announced a restructure of the organisation, claiming there were duplicate executive roles. What roles are being cut?
Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:10): I welcome the question from the member for Lowan. Let me say that since our government was elected back in 2014 we have invested more than $2 billion into ambulance services here in Victoria. We have increased the number of on-road staff by more than 50 per cent. Indeed despite the challenges that our ambulance services have faced as a consequence of the global pandemic, we are seeing steady improvement in ambulance response times. Again, I am really proud of the work of our hardworking paramedics every single day and the life-saving work that they do. Of course our government has supported them in a whole range of ways, be that the establishment of the paramedic centre for excellence at Victoria University, be it the increase in the number of MICA paramedics that are on the road –
Emma Kealy: On a point of order, Speaker: relevance.
The SPEAKER: The minister was being relevant. She was talking about roles within Ambulance Victoria.
Mary-Anne THOMAS: Again, the Allan Labor government is committed to ensuring that our hardworking paramedics have the resources that they need. In terms of how Ambulance Victoria organises itself in terms of its internal corporate roles, they are questions that are best directed to the CEO.
Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:12): Yesterday ambulance union boss Danny Hill said that paramedics across Victoria are working 800 hours of forced overtime every single day. After 10 years of Labor’s mismanagement of Ambulance Victoria, why are our paramedics being forced to sacrifice time with family?
The SPEAKER: There is a very tenuous link between the first question and the supplementary. I will allow it this time.
Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:13): I welcome this question. Seriously, the member for Lowan wants to talk to me about what Danny Hill has had to say? Let me tell you what Danny Hill has had to say about the Liberal–National parties. You might recall, at a time when Ambulance Victoria were under extreme pressure as a consequence of the pandemic, Danny Hill said it was those on the other side that were the virus – that they were the virus attacking our ambulance workers. This is from the same mob that called them militant thugs – seriously. Our government has always stood by our hardworking paramedics and will continue to do so.
James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, this is an important question about an important issue, and the minister should be taking it seriously and be relevant.
The SPEAKER: I ask the minister to come back to the question that was asked. The minister has concluded her answer.