Wednesday, 17 May 2023

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority

Georgie CROZIER, Jaclyn SYMES
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Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:01): (138) My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Minister, can you confirm that there were concerns raised within ESTA that inappropriate coding was applied to avoid activating code reds during October and November 2022?

Jaclyn Symes: I missed the start, sorry.

The PRESIDENT: Can you ask it again, please?

Georgie CROZIER: Yes, of course. The question is: can you confirm that there were concerns raised within ESTA that inappropriate coding was applied to avoid activating code reds for Ambulance Victoria during October and November 2022?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:02): I thank Ms Crozier for her question. Emergency response escalations are entirely an operational matter – I am sure you would be aware of that – a matter for Ambulance Victoria made in real time by experts. I am advised that a range of factors are considered, including but not limited to things such as fleet availability, staffing numbers, hospital flow, number of priority cases or whether there has been a significant event such as a car accident or something where they are expecting multiple admissions, such as the awful events of yesterday. The Department of Health and the relevant minister are not notified of an emergency escalation until afterwards.

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:03): My question was not answered in relation to the concerns raised within ESTA. The minister did not answer that. My supplementary is: will the minister direct that all telco records, including personal and taxpayer-funded phones, be made available to IBAC if required?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:03): That is an extraordinary question. So, ‘Don’t interfere with an IBAC inquiry, but direct people in relation to an IBAC inquiry.’ I will not direct anybody in relation to an IBAC inquiry investigation. It is extremely inappropriate to ask me to. I am actually shocked by this question, I have got to say. I would expect any public servant, any employee of an agency, to cooperate with IBAC.

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