Wednesday, 19 February 2025

 Sheena WATT (Northern Metropolitan) (17:25): I rise today to deliver a statement on the Triple Zero Victoria 2023–24 annual report. Triple Zero Victoria is often the first emergency service that Victorians will reach out to when they need help. It is the critical link between the community and our tireless frontline emergency responders. Among other things, the report details how TZV consistently exceeds its targets for call answering and dispatch times. This was despite facing call loads far above the previous year’s average, especially for the VICSES and the CFA. TZV answers nearly 3 million calls per year, an average of nearly 8000 calls per 24-hour period, and this comes to about one call every 10.9 seconds. For those numbers – if we keep them in mind – this report speaks to the professionalism of the staff. Nearly 100 per cent of all call information in the year under review was processed accurately despite the huge pressure faced by call takers.

Under the Allan Labor government Victorians can have the confidence that the highly trained team at TZV, under the guidance of their CEO Debra Abbott, will connect them with the emergency services that they need exactly when and where they need them. In fact it was only last year when I visited Debra and the hardworking team at the Melbourne office that I had the chance to see their expert staff in full swing, allowing first-line responders to reach serious accidents, fires and disruptions caused by extreme weather events in time to save lives. I was absolutely blown away by the focus and specialised skill set of the call takers and dispatchers, who were able to seamlessly communicate between members of the public and frontline responders while also updating incident files and escalating issues to other team members. One dispatcher I talked to was even able to operate his radios via foot pedals while typing notes with his hands.

Let me repeat something I said a fortnight ago in this place about our emergency service members: I could not be more inspired by the self-sacrifice which is demonstrated by frontline responders and support teams in our emergency services day in and day out, I have got to tell you. Part of what makes this job such a privilege is the chance to meet with Victorians who come together from all walks of life and give up precious time with family and friends to help protect and rebuild their communities. Whether that is as part of Triple Zero Victoria or as a frontline responder in the CFA or VICSES, all of our emergency services bodies are indispensable – absolutely indispensable – in this state. Emergency services members are really the beating heart of our communities. That is why the Allan Labor government is backing our emergency services with, as I understand, in the 2024–25 budget an allocation of nearly $7 million in additional funding over four years to VICSES to deliver support programs and training for volunteers. We committed nearly $20 million in asset funding for the CFA, some of which has been earmarked to roll out 15 new pumpers across the state. Just over two weeks ago in this place we discussed at length how our government is supporting workers at Ambulance Victoria. I was really proud to make a contribution to the bill on funding the paramedic practitioners to take pressure off emergency departments. Triple Zero Victoria is the glue that brings these emergency services together, and the achievements detailed in this report made possible by the Allan Labor government deserve celebrating each and every day of the year.