Tuesday, 16 August 2022

Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority

Mr DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan—Leader of the Opposition) (11:44): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Minister, I refer to the crisis at the 000 call service that is putting the health and lives of Victorians at risk, and my question is: why did the Andrews Labor government inexcusably cut the number of call-taking staff at ESTA between financial year 2020 and financial year 2021?

Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (11:45): I thank Mr Davis for his question. Mr Davis, I am focused on the here and now, and I refute your assertion in relation to a current crisis. What I can say is that the hardworking staff at ESTA, supported by millions of dollars and support from this government, backing those workers every day, have produced a call-taking performance that has responded to unprecedented demand from a global pandemic. We know the impacts of the pandemic in relation to our health industries, and ESTA was certainly not immune to them. Unprecedented demand meant that we had call delays, which have been well canvassed in this chamber. But right now we have full recruitment courses to the end of the year, new call takers hitting the floor each and every week and a new floor opened at Tally Ho to accommodate all of the call takers, and the performance continues to improve week on week. We will continue to back those workers and continue to support them to provide a quality service, one that Victorians can rely on.

Mr DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan—Leader of the Opposition) (11:46): I note that the minister did not refute the fact that staff were cut in that period. Minister, does the Andrews Labor government accept responsibility for the failings of the 000 call-taking system, given it cut the number of staff at a critical time when call numbers were increasing?

Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (11:46): Mr Davis, as this chamber well knows, we have really high benchmarks in relation to call taking in this state, which are higher than in any other state—90 per cent of calls answered in under 5 seconds. ESTA met that benchmark each and every month in the lead-up to the pandemic. They were meeting that benchmark in November 2020. What we saw was unprecedented demand, which meant that calls were not being answered to the benchmark. But what we have done since I have been minister is continue to support them, invest in them and ensure that their performance is going towards meeting those benchmarks week on week. Lots of people are putting their hand up to come and work at ESTA: a fantastic workplace, fantastic people providing a fantastic service for Victorians. We will continue to support them to do that important work.