Tuesday, 2 August 2022

 Ms CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (14:04): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Minister, how many 000 calls went unanswered during the code red that occurred on 28 June?

 Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (14:04): I thank Ms Crozier for her question. In relation to the 28 June date, which coincides with the code red declaration, I guess, from Ambulance Victoria, I am advised that there were no major call-taking incidents associated with the escalation called by Ambulance Victoria during that period.

 Ms CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (14:05:015:): So are you confirming then, Minister, that there were no unanswered calls? You said there were none on escalation, but there were delays of up to 3 minutes for ESTA, so I am wondering how many unanswered calls. Could you confirm that?

Ms Symes: There were zero unanswered calls.

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! Ms Crozier, please, a question and a supplementary, not a question and a question and a question.

Ms CROZIER: I thank the minister for that confirmation, because I actually think it is very important. So thank you for saying that there were zero calls.

A member: She did—twice.

Ms CROZIER: She did not, actually. But anyway, Minister, how many times over the past two months have Telstra surge event scripts been used by ESTA?

 Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (14:06): Thank you, Ms Crozier. I will just pick up on your comments before. My first response to you was I indicated there were no major call-taking incidents, and then I confirmed to you that that means there were no calls that were unanswered. There are no unanswered calls at ESTA. In relation to the surge script of Telstra, that is a national service that has been brought in across the country, and it is currently active. So every call to 000 is currently receiving the surge message from Telstra.