Questions without notice and ministers statements
Ambulance services
Wayne FARNHAM (Narracan) (14:03): My question is to the Minister for Health. On Sunday 91-year-old Lois Casboult had a fall at home. Her daughter found her on the floor bleeding and in pain and called an ambulance. Lois’s daughter asked the paramedics to take her to hospital, but they said they could not, because they were the only paramedics available in the area. The paramedics then helped Lois into her daughter’s car. Her daughter had no choice but to rush her mother to hospital. On arrival Lois was assessed and found to have a bleed on the brain and a broken pelvis. Minister, why is our health system so broken that there are not enough ambulances to transport severely injured Victorians such as Lois to hospital?
Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:04): I thank the member for his question. At the outset can I say this has clearly been a very distressing incident for Mrs Casboult and her family. I know that she will be receiving first-class care at Warragul hospital, and I wish her all the best with her recovery. As is my practice, I will not be providing commentary on individual cases in this place. However, I am advised that Mrs Casboult was attended to by our highly skilled paramedics, who in this case also sought information and advice from the virtual emergency department, including from emergency doctors and emergency nurses, and that they together determined a plan for Mrs Casboult’s care. Again, I wish Mrs Casboult a speedy recovery.
Wayne FARNHAM (Narracan) (14:05): Why won’t the minister take responsibility for the appalling failings in our system and guarantee that there is an immediate investigation undertaken?
Wayne Farnham: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, I am asking the minister to have an investigation. I am sure if this was the minister’s mother she would investigate.
The SPEAKER: Member for Narracan, I ask you to raise points of order in the correct format.
Ben Carroll: On the point of order on relevance, Speaker, the minister was being relevant. Standing order 58(2): ‘a minister will have discretion to determine the content of any answer’.
James Newbury: Further to the point of order, Speaker, what we have seen already and all week is ministers refusing to answer questions.
James Newbury: Further to the point of order, Speaker, the question directly went to why the government will not allow an investigation, why they have ruled out an investigation and the –
Members interjecting.
James Newbury: Mate, what do you do every time you’re on 3AW? Bag your boss.
The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Brighton will leave the chamber for an hour. The member for Pakenham is warned.
Member for Brighton withdrew from chamber.
The SPEAKER: On the point of order from the member for Narracan and the further point of order from the Deputy Premier, the minister was being relevant to the question that was asked. The minister has concluded her answer.