Police formally probing Ambulance Victoria employee over alleged multimillion-dollar embezzlement

Almost two years after an alleged multimillion-dollar embezzlement was first reported to crisis-plagued Ambulance Victoria, an employee has been referred to police.

An Ambulance Victoria employee has been referred to police following an investigation over an alleged multimillion-dollar embezzlement.

Almost two years after the alleged scam was first reported to Ambulance Victoria executives, police are now formally probing the matter.

The man was one of six employees from Ambulance Victoria’s payroll department who were stood down after a whistleblower reported concerns of misconduct.

An Ambulance Victoria employee has been referred to police following an investigation over an alleged multimillion-dollar embezzlement. Picture: David Crosling

Private investigators were called to probe claims the group had claimed fraudulent overtime.

The matter was initially referred to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, but was sent back to Ambulance Victoria for investigation.

Five of the employees have now returned to work following the formal investigation.

Details of the investigation have been kept under wraps, with staff unaware of what it uncovered or what was referred to police.

“You’d think there was certainly concerning evidence found if AV thought it necessary to refer,” one paramedic said.

Opposition health spokeswoman, Georgie Crozier, accused the ambulance service of being gripped by chaos.

“Once again Victorian taxpayers will pay the price for serious misconduct that has occurred under Labor’s watch,” she said.

Data released last week showed Ambulance Victoria again failed to meet agreed response times targets for critically ill patients.

Just 65.4 per cent of code one ambulances arrived within the 15 minute benchmark for “lights and sirens” cases – well below the 85 per cent target.

Ambulance Victoria has been plagued by crisis this year. Picture: Nadir Kinani

The agency has been gripped by crisis this year amid continually underwhelming response time results and a long-running protracted pay dispute.

Paramedics staged months of industrial action before securing an agreement for a new $600m wage deal that will make them among the best paid in the nation.

Under the deal, most paramedics will get a pay boost between 16.98 and 20 per cent.

Specialist MICA paramedics will receive a $12,500 uplift, which will take their overall increases to more than 33 per cent.

The protracted industrial action saw staff morale plummet with Ambulance Victoria’s executive forced to address concerns about paramedic workload.

Concerns about the leadership of the agency led to a vote of no-confidence in Ambulance Victoria’s executive being passed by union members.

In September, the organisation appointed its fourth chief executive in as many weeks to take control of the embattled service.

Andrew Crisp was appointed interim chief executive after former boss Jane Miller abruptly resigned.

He then took seven weeks leave during which time two acting CEOs were appointed.