Thursday, 29 August 2024

Ambulance Victoria

Nick McGOWAN (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (10:01): For the third time in as many days I rise in this place to speak of Maroondah Hospital, and I do so because it is very important. We all know now that two nights ago paramedics were required to come inside the hospital to treat patients of that hospital – that is, locals from Ringwood, Ringwood East as far afield as Donvale, Blackburn, Vermont, Forest Hill and even Croydon and further afield than that. Well, that was two nights ago. This morning we woke to yet more bad news. We now know that the new head of Ambulance Victoria, someone who many of us in this place do have respect for, Mr Crisp –

A member: Going on holidays.

Nick McGOWAN: That is right. But he has just assumed this new position, and having assumed that position, guess where he is going today as we are standing in the Parliament advocating on behalf of all Victorians for a serious approach from this government, which is yet to happen, on health care? He is jetting off to Europe for seven weeks. Until 23 October Ambulance Victoria will not have a CEO, and this is the response of this minister in the other place in the middle of an ambulance crisis, in the middle of an industrial dispute. It is absolutely, utterly unacceptable that any minister in any government ought to allow the CEO of Ambulance Victoria in the middle of an industrial dispute and in the middle of a crisis locally in Ringwood affecting my constituents to go to Europe for holidays for seven weeks flat.