Thursday, 19 March 2026

 Annabelle CLEELAND (Euroa) (10:06): Just a few years ago the Minister for Health said every minute counts when it comes to ambulance response times. Well, here is the reality check: in my electorate families are facing the reality that sometimes ambulances do not come at all. Across the Euroa electorate ambulance response times are falling short of the state target of reaching 90 per cent of code 1 emergencies within 15 minutes. In Benalla that target is met just 58 per cent of the time, in Mitchell 51 per cent of the time and in Strathbogie just 32 per cent of the time.

Behind those numbers are people like Strathbogie residents Pam and Murray Ellis. They experienced this firsthand when Murray had severe pain recently, called an ambulance and was told there was none available. A paramedic later called them and said Pam had to drive him to hospital in the middle of the night. When they were told Murray needed further tests at the Euroa Hospital in Shepparton, with no ambulance available Pam had to drive him there too and arrived at 1 am. Murray was diagnosed with severe kidney stones. The paramedics did their absolute best, and I admire each and every one of them, but Victorians should not be told to drive a loved one in agony to a hospital when an ambulance is unavailable. Regional communities deserve the same access to emergency care as Melbourne.