Tuesday, 19 March 2024

Ambulance services

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:17): My question is to the Minister for Ambulance Services. Last November a Ballarat mother was forced to have her leg amputated after she waited more than 4 hours for an ambulance. Ambulance Victoria conducted a review. When will the minister release the review?

Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:18): I thank the member for the question. I well remember that incident and at the time committed to Ambulance Victoria undertaking that review. I am very happy to follow up and find out where that review is at and how the review has been communicated to the affected patient.

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:18): The patient’s partner had to call for an ambulance five times. How many Victorians suffered a tragic sentinel event in 2023 because the Allan Labor government cannot manage our ambulance services?

Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:19): Our ambulance services and our paramedics do a great job every single day. What we have seen is unprecedented demand. In fact we have just come off one of the busiest quarters on record, with record numbers of lights and sirens being required to address the health concerns of Victorians. What our government has done has been to work with Ambulance Victoria to make sure they have got the resources they need to deliver the health care –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, may I seek your guidance? Multiple Speakers have ruled that a minister must address the question that was asked, and the question asked for a simple data point of how many events occurred in 2023. We have seen a number of ministers who will choose a word in the question and refuse to answer the question. We have seen it across multiple weeks, and I put to you, Speaker, that is exactly what is happening now.

Danny Pearson: On a point of order, Speaker, it is not clear to me that the supplementary question in any way related to the substantive question. I think the Minister for Health is being very generous in answering the question from the member. The member asked a question in relation to Ambulance Victoria and funding and support, and the minister was entirely relevant.

The SPEAKER: I will rule on the points of order. Manager of Opposition Business, I have ruled on these matters previously. I cannot direct the minister how to answer the question. The minister was being relevant to the question. On the second point of order from the Assistant Treasurer, both the questions – question 2 and question 3 – and the following supplementaries were very tenuous in their connectivity. However, I have allowed them, and the minister will resume her answer.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: Not only have we given Ambulance Victoria the resources that they need, we have also established 29 priority primary care clinics and the Victorian virtual ED, which I had the opportunity to visit with the Premier and local members on the weekend. And can I say that together these initiatives are making sure that we have got ambulances ready, able to respond to code 1 events where and when they are needed.