Daniel Andrews rejects outcry over his silence on Victoria’s triple-0 report as ‘a political game’

Victims of Victoria’s triple-0 crisis also say the Premier and health minister’s reluctance to say if they have read a report into the system is “disgraceful”.

VIctims of Victoria’s crisis-addled triple-0 system have demanded to know whether a report into the service has been read by the Premier and health minister.

Cowes resident Stewart Grant died in January as his wife looked on as they waited 40 minutes for an ambulance.

Mr Grant’s daughter Lisa Hennessy on Thursday said it was “disgraceful” that Mr Foley had refused to say if he had read or been briefed on the report, despite it being handed down six weeks ago.

“Our family and others deserve urgent answers on what’s gone wrong with triple-0 and our health system — they are clearly not taking this seriously,” Ms Hennessy said.

She said she was also angered that the premier had refused to say if he had read the long-awaited report.

Carol Grant’s husband Stewart, 82, died after waiting more than 45 minutes for an ambulance. Picture: Mark Stewart

“They’re doing nothing to fix the problem — they’ve announced funding for it, but there’s no action and lives are being lost,” she said.

“Daniel Andrews needs to brief the public on what’s in that report as soon as possible, it should be made public as we have a right to know.”.

It comes after Mr Andrews shut down questions about why he and the Health Minister are yet to read a crucial report into the state’s besieged triple-0 service.

The Premier on Thursday refused to answer whether it was appropriate that both he and Martin Foley haven’t properly read former top cop Graham Ashton’s review into ESTA, despite it being handed to the government in March.

“This is completely and utterly a political game,” Mr Andrews repeated outside parliament.

“This is not the sort of stuff that I will be getting into. These political games, they don’t help anyone, they don’t serve anyone at all.

“This ‘who has read what’ ... If that is your focus, then fine. My focus is investing in the services that matter and that’s exactly what we have done.”

Mr Andrews said the report, and the process, has not yet concluded.

It comes despite Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes confirming she had read the report in full.

Mr Andrews on Wednesday stated he had been briefed on some elements of the document, but dodged questions from the opposition in parliament when asked if he had read its full contents.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews meets paramedics at North Melbourne Ambulance station. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

The report is currently going through “normal government processes”, according to Ms Symes, who committed to releasing the review to the public before the end of June.

Despite neither Mr Foley or him not having read the report, Mr Andrews said the review and its findings informed “a massive boost” in last week’s budget, which included $333 million for 400 additional call-takers.

“The report deals with a number of long-term issues but it also deals with, and informs, a massive boost in last week’s budget,” he said.

“That’s what’s most important for right now. Of course, there may be medium and longer term issues, and we’ll address those at the appropriate time.”

Asked if Victorians should expect the Premier and the Minister overlooking the state’s wider health crisis to have read the document, Mr Andrews fired back: “No Victorian should buy this political line that somehow these matters aren’t important to our team.

“Of course they are,” he added.

“Be in no doubt (about) who has read what, the issue here is who’s putting in extra investment and who’s playing politics.

“That’s a very clear distinction to be drawn.

“Every Victoria knows and understands that we have put in hundreds of extra call takers because we are receiving thousands of extra calls.”

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier slammed Mr Andrews lack of answers.

“The only bloke playing political games and covering up incompetence is Andrews,” Ms Crozier said.

“Too many Victorians have died as a result of these failings and this is the best Andrews can say. Victorians deserve better.”

Victims of Victoria’s crisis-addled triple-0 system have lashed out at the state government, saying they deserve “urgent answers” on whether a report into the service has been read by the Premier and health minister.

Martin Foley silent on Victoria’s triple-0 report

The outcry comes as Health Minister Martin Foley on Thursday refused to say if he has read a report into the triple-0 service six weeks after it was handed down.

Asked repeatedly on Thursday if he had read the report, or been briefed on its contents, Mr Foley refused to say.

It comes a day after Daniel Andrews also refused to say if he had read the long-awaited report.

But while the Premier said he had been briefed on what the document contained, Mr Foley refused to comment, saying it was a matter for the emergency services minister.

Martin Foley has refused to say if he has read a report into the state’s crisis-addled triple-0 service. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

“We had substantial input into former chief commissioner Ashton’s deliberations,” he said.

“That report has been provided to the Minister for Emergency Services and I’ve certainly been involved in advocating health’s case as part of that.”

Asked specifically if he had read or been briefed on the report Mr Foley said only that the report would be released in due course.

The Herald Sun on Tuesday revealed the tragic death of 14-year-old Lydia Anseline last month.

Her grieving father, Bernard, watched his daughter die after she waited more than 30 minutes for an ambulance to arrive.

Mr Anseline on Thursday said the report needed to be made public.

“The state government needs to tell the public if they have read this report, all of the families affected deserve to know,” he said.

“We are still waiting for answers on what caused the delay that night.

“I’ve always had a good experience with the ambulance, but I don’t want this to happen to another family and this does need to be taken seriously for the victims involved.”

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy says he is genuinely shocked by the government’s go-slow reaction to acting on the report. Andrew Henshaw

Push for government to release report

The government is facing increased pressure to bring forward the release date of the report.

Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes, who has read the document, defended the decision to halt its release, stating: “It’s just going through normal government processes.”

“I have a commitment to have it to you by the middle of the year,” Ms Symes said, confirming it would be made public by the end of June.

But people let down by the system have demanded the government immediately release the report in a bid to spark urgent change.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said he was genuinely shocked by the government’s go-slow in relation to acting on the report.

“Victoria’s health crisis is the biggest issue we are facing, people are dying and health workers are over worked,” he said.

“It is stunning that the Premier and Health Minister have not even bothered to read the one report that may provide answers to save lives.

“If the current Premier and Health Minister can’t be bothered reading the one report that may provide answers to fix the health system then they are not the team to lead our state.”

Premier, Daniel Andrews won’t say if he has read the final full report. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Victorians let down by the system have demanded the government immediately release the report in a bid to spark urgent change.

Mark Lancaster, who was forced to wait two hours for an ambulance after finding his wife, Bernadette, unresponsive and unconscious in March last year, said it was “appalling” the ESTA report hadn’t yet been made public.

Mr Lancaster feared his wife, who was profusely sweating and grey in colour, was having a heart attack or a stroke.

Her condition was initially deemed to be Code 3 – or non-life threatening – by call takers. However, Mr Lancaster said it was later classed as needing a Code 1 response, used for cases that require lights and sirens in life threatening emergencies. She was transported to the Northern Hospital.

Mr Lancaster said it was traumatising to hear that other Victorians had been let down by the state’s health crisis, adding that it was unacceptable that his experience – more than one year ago – was still occurring.

“The report needs to be released so something can be done about it,” he said.

“It’s appalling. I’m hoping that when it is released it triggers some urgent change across the entire system.

“Covid has emphasised the issue but we’ve had this problem for years.”

Mark and son Travis waited over an hour for an ambulance in March after his wife, Bernadette was found unresponsive. Picture: Rob Leeson

Speaking on the incident, Ambulance Victoria said the response to the case was reviewed at the time to better understand what happened.

The findings of that review were shared with the patient and her family.

“The Covid pandemic has placed immense pressure on the health system in Victoria and around the world over the past two years,” an Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said.

“Ambulance Victoria takes very seriously our commitment to providing the very best care we can to every patient, every time.”

An emergency code orange was also once again declared by Ambulance Victoria on Tuesday night, leaving up to 70 patients’ calls unattended at one point.

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said the report needed to be immediately made public to identify where the major problems were stemming from.

“Victorians want to know where the problems are. They’re incredibly anxious about the failures in the system when their loved ones need an ambulance,” Ms Crozier said.

“Victorians are losing confidence in the system and they’re very concerned they won’t be able to get an ambulance when they need one.

“This is dire. This is very, very serious. It’s really alarming for every single Victorian who is relying on a health system.”

But Mr Andrews said significant funding in last week’s budget – $12 billion for health in total – would help the overrun healthcare system rather than the opposition’s attack.

“People who can’t even follow the health advice … people who every day bagged the chief health officer … want to run our hospital system — I don’t think that makes much sense to anybody,” he said.

“There’s no doubt, though, politics won’t solve this, nor will Liberal Party or funding cutbacks either.”