Tuesday, 20 September 2022

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority

Mr DAVIS, Ms SYMES
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Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority

 Mr DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan—Leader of the Opposition) (12:22): My question is again to the Minister for Emergency Services. In 2015 the then chair of ESTA, Roger Leeming, asked the Labor government for $30 million in ongoing funding, which was rejected. Just months later, in January 2016, according to Mr Leeming, it was ‘made very clear to me that I should resign’. Why was Mr Leeming forced to resign as chair only months after requesting $30 million in additional funding?

 Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:23): Mr Davis, my information is that the former chair resigned, and my advice is that funding was not rejected.

 Mr DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan—Leader of the Opposition) (12:23): There seem to be two views of history here—

Ms Symes interjected.

Mr DAVIS: Well, Mr Leeming, for example, makes it clear. ‘It was made very clear to me that I should resign’ is what he said. He refused to toe the government line and was fighting for more money for 000. Minister, did Mr Leeming make it up?

 Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:24): Mr Davis, I have not met Mr Leeming, but my focus since being minister has been on working with the existing staff, the existing management and the existing board. During my time as minister, we have put $360 million into ESTA, and I am so proud of that organisation. They have come through a torrid time when it comes to an unprecedented amount of calls, the pressure on that organisation and staff being off. The fact that they have turned up each and every day to do the very best they can for Victorians should be celebrated. We should be making more of how fantastic this workforce is rather than continually demonising this workforce and telling them that they are the cause of people’s deaths. This is an amazing organisation that this government has funded every time it has requested funding—in recent times, $360 million. (Time expired)

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