Thursday, 24 February 2022

Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority

Ms CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:25): My question—

Members interjecting.

Ms Lovell: On a point of order, President, Mr Gepp called Mr Davis a name that was very unparliamentary, and I ask that he withdraw.

The PRESIDENT: I did not hear anything, and Mr Davis is in the chamber. Mr Gepp, I ask you, if you made that comment—I do not know what Ms Lovell is referring to—to withdraw.

Mr Gepp: Because you have made the request, President, yes, I will withdraw.

The PRESIDENT: Okay. We will continue.

Ms CROZIER: I want to get back to a very important question I have that is directed to the Minister for Emergency Services. Minister, last Thursday David from Swan Hill told the Neil Mitchell program that in January his father collapsed. He, his wife and his mother called 000 but could not get through for 30 minutes. In desperation they called the local police, who physically had to go to the ambulance station to find that paramedics had not been informed by 000 that this emergency was unfolding. On arriving at David’s father’s house, they found that he had sadly died. Minister, this is yet another example of a tragic story of another Victorian having died because the family could not get through to 000. I understand these stories are confronting for the government, but these incidents are not one-offs. They are happening far too frequently. Minister, can you guarantee that no other Victorians will have to wait for an excessive amount of time before their emergency calls are answered?

Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:27): Ms Crozier, I am familiar with this case. I received an email from the federal member for that region bringing it to my attention. She made some allegations similar to the themes that you guys continue to do, which is attributing blame and attributing cause of death to the call takers at ESTA for doing their job. In the case that you have referred to, as you have indicated, they have reported that they had difficulty getting through to 000. I am not going to stand here and go between whether it was the federal government system or the ESTA system. But you keep doing this, and it is inappropriate. I am not going to attribute blame to anybody in relation to an adverse outcome—to a sad death in relation to this instance—because it is not my job to do so. There is an appropriate oversight mechanism, whether it is the inspector-general for emergency management or the coroner.

The fact that you come in here and set out a particular story that leads to a particular outcome, which is not accurate, is really inappropriate. To attribute cause of death to ESTA call takers is disgraceful, using circumstances where you do not know the facts. I can tell from your question that you do not have all the facts. I am not going to sit in here and retell families’ experiences based on the information I have, because it is not appropriate. It is not my role. It is not your role to come in here and give commentary about these terrible cases. To attribute blame and cause of death is a role for the coroner. Ambulance Victoria are talking to the family; 000 and ESTA are talking about this matter. But the way you have framed this question is quite outrageous, and I do not know what more I can say to urge you to perhaps think about your questions, think about the impacts on the families, the impacts on the call takers of making these false assertions. You should know better.

Ms CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:29): Minister, I spoke with David last night. He told me what had gone on. I know that the federal minister has written to you. Have you actually responded to her? Have you spoken to David? You have spoken to David, have you? Have you spoken to David?

The PRESIDENT: Order! Your question, please.

Ms CROZIER: The minister is making assertions about the opposition, which I find disgraceful. I have spoken to this man. Minister, your government has been in power since 2014—more than seven years—and I therefore ask: when will the 000 service meet the Victorian public’s basic performance requirements to ensure that desperately ill Victorians do not die unnecessarily? And, Minister, I will continue to ask you about these failings because they are happening under your watch and Victorians are dying.

Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:30): Thank you, Ms Crozier. By all means you can ask about the performance of ESTA. That is appropriate. I expect that. I do not persuade you against those types of questions, but when you use specific incidents and you draw inferences that I am not in a position to confirm, it is inappropriate. You are attributing blame to ESTA call takers. I have been in this place answering questions by saying that with delays in call taking, whether it is 000 connections, whether it is ESTA connections, whether it is Ambulance Victoria dispatch or whether it is the inability to get into an emergency department, we are facing unprecedented demand across the system, and ESTA is not immune to that. I have outlined the continual support, financial assistance and concerted effort that goes into supporting the hardworking ESTA call takers to continue to do the important job they do.

Ms CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:31): I move:

That the minister’s answer be taken into account on the next day of meeting.

Motion agreed to.