Questions without notice and ministers statements
Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority
Ms LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (11:37): My question is for the Minister for Emergency Services. About 5.30 pm on 12 May, 15-month-old Lawson Walter suffered a seizure at his home in Girgarre. His parents drove him to Kyabram hospital as they dialled 000, which rang out three times. Finally an operator answered, but they were cut off. They redialled; it rang out again. They tried once more and stayed connected to an operator for about 12 minutes. He was unable to transfer them to ambulance. As they arrived at Ky hospital the operator said they would try and send an ambulance but was not sure if one was available. Lawson had stopped breathing and was turning grey, so the hospital also rang for an ambulance. About 30 minutes later an ambulance arrived. Paramedics assessed Lawson but were not comfortable to transfer him, so they called for assistance. Lawson stopped breathing twice before he was loaded into the ambulance, which headed to Shepparton but stopped just outside Ky where they waited for a mobile intensive care ambulance. Lawson stopped breathing four more times before reaching Goulburn Valley Health. Minister, Lawson’s family or the hospital rang 000 seven times before an ambulance attended. Given this is unacceptable, will you unreservedly apologise for this failure on your watch?
Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (11:38): I thank Ms Lovell for her question. Of course the experience of Lawson’s family is terrifying. For anybody when they have to wait for help in an emergency situation, of course I apologise for any of the unacceptable delays at ESTA, and that is what is driving my commitment to make investments in that organisation and support the amazing workforce in that organisation. I was out there on Wednesday talking to the staff. They are so committed to helping Victorians every day. We are having more and more call takers hit the floor every day. There is a brand new floor out at ESTA to accommodate the recruits that are coming on board every day. Our training program is full.
In relation to the specific incident of Lawson, you have identified that there were a range of issues that I am not familiar with in relation to call availability, being able to get through to 000, being cut off. This is not necessarily attributable to being in a queue at ESTA. This is a case that will be reviewed by appropriate authorities in relation to the inspector-general for emergency management (IGEM). I will not stand here and attribute blame to anybody in a system, whether it is Telstra, ESTA, ambulance or a hospital. It is not my role. It is a political game that you are trying to draw me into.
Ms Lovell: This is a baby’s life.
Ms SYMES: And I have acknowledged that, but I will not use an incident such as this to cause more distress to ESTA when they are focused on improvements. I have explained that these cases are looked at by appropriate authorities. It is not appropriate for me to give a blow-by-blow account of each incident. I am the minister; I am not the IGEM and I am not the coroner in instances like those.
Mr Davis interjected.
Ms SYMES: I am absolutely responsible. I am responsible for ensuring that that organisation is supported to be the best service it can be to be relied on by the Victorian public, and I think the amount of investment and the initiatives that I have explained to the chamber over the past months go to that effort. We are getting improvements each and every day at ESTA, and I thank those staff for their continued efforts.
Ms LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (11:41): Minister, will you order an investigation into Lawson’s case, and will you guarantee that no other family has to endure the terrifying fiasco faced by Lawson’s parents, Tamika and Ashley, as they watched 15-month-old Lawson struggle for survival while they waited in vain for 000 assistance?
Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (11:41): Ms Lovell, I have gone to some lengths to explain to the chamber on numerous occasions how the system works. It is not a role for me to launch investigations into individual cases. We have established appropriate practices, established authorities, to look at this. We have IGEM, we have Safer Care Victoria and we have reporting mechanisms to those organisations. This case will be looked at, but it does not need me to initiate an investigation. The answer is: yes, it will be looked at, but it is not my role to make that direction.