Victorians are dying as they wait for an ambulance, with others forced to wait hours as Victoria faces its worst ambulance crisis in three decades.
Labor’s Ambulance Services Minister today failed to answer questions by the Liberal Nationals in Question Time, instead saying that Victoria has the “best ambulance service in the country”.
“There is always more that a Labor Government can do to work with its workforce and its public health professionals,” Ambulance Services Minister Martin Foley said.
Last month, 32-year-old Christina Lackmann died after she called an ambulance to her Melbourne home which took over six hours to turn up.
Her brother told ABC Radio that Victoria’s ambulance service is now compared to third world countries. “No, it’s not a third world country, not even an outer suburb. This is Caulfield.” Broder Lackmann said.
Acting Ambulance Victoria CEO, Mick Stephenson has acknowledged that the service is stretched.
“We’re frequently in a position where we’re holding ambulance cases because we don’t have anything immediately available to dispatch,” Mr Stephenson said.
The Australian Medical Association’s Victorian Emergency Medicine Specialist, Sarah Whitelaw described it as its worst point in 30 years.
Despite promising to fix the problems and claiming that every second counts, Victorians are now waiting hours under the Andrews Labor Government’s ambulance crisis.
Comments attributable to the Leader of the Opposition, Michael O’Brien:
“No Victorian should lose their life because this Labor Government can’t get the basics right when it comes to running an ambulance service.
“Labor has been in power for 17 out of 21 years and Victorians are dying because of its inability to get the basics right.
“Labor has failed Victorians and has no plan to fix this health crisis.”
Comments attributable to the Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier:
“It demonstrates how out of touch this arrogant Minister is if he thinks Victoria’s ambulance service is the best in the country.
“Victorian lives are being put at risk and tragically the ambulance crisis is getting worse.
“We need proper investment and resourcing in Ambulance Victoria to ensure it’s a reliable service Victorians can count on.”
