Vic emergency call system boss quits
The boss of Victoria’s embattled triple-0 call service has quit just weeks after he vowed to lead the organisation through the deadly ambulance delay crisis.
Victoria
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The boss of Victoria’s triple-0 system has resigned, stepping down from the role less than two weeks after he vowed to lead the organisation “through this current crisis”.
He made the comments on 3AW the morning after the Herald Sun revealed two people suffering cardiac arrest died after triple-0 calls went unanswered for five minutes in each case.
But Marty Smyth will now finish up at the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA) on Friday after telling the board he “wishes to return to Queensland to pursue new opportunities”.
ESTA chair Ms Flavia Gobbo said he had worked tirelessly over the past four years to lead ESTA.
“His extensive contribution to delivering our strategic goals and supporting our hardworking staff is greatly appreciated,” she said.
“We wish Mr Smyth well with his future endeavours, and he leaves with our best wishes.”
Former Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner and current ESTA board member Stephen Leane will step up as interim chief executive while the board looks for a permanent replacement.
Mr Leane will step into the job at a difficult time, with the pandemic placing incredible strain on the call-taking system with operators unable to answer every call immediately.
Ambulance calls had increased by about a third during the pandemic – from a daily average of 2200 last October to 3000.
The government announced an independent review, led by former Victoria Police chief Graham Ashton, into their operations less than two weeks ago.
On Thursday, the Andrews government also announced they were relaunching their campaign encouraging Victorians to leave triple-0 for emergencies.
More than one-in-five calls to triple-0 for an ambulance do not require an emergency ambulance response, they revealed.
Mr Smyth told the Herald Sun ESTA was a “fantastic organisation” but offered no comment on his departure.
He had previously told 3AW he was “ here to lead (this) organisation through this current crisis into the future”.
“We’re in a battle right now,” he said.
“This is no time to be walking away from a battle.”
Victorian Ambulance Union General Secretary Danny Hill said it was “good to see that some firm action may have taken place regarding ESTA”.
“Unions have been calling for safe minimum staffing levels for a long time and the massive delays we have seen recently could have been prevented if they had listened,” he said.
“I look forward to meeting with the new interim CEO and working together to keep our members and the community safe.”
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