Legislation reforming Victoria’s trouble-plagued triple-zero call service will be introduced to state parliament.
The Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority will be rebranded as Triple Zero Victoria and brought under government control.
It follows the recommendations of former police chief commissioner Graham Ashton who found the agency was systemically underperforming, leading to dire outcomes.
Another damning report last year revealed 33 Victorians died after answering times for triple-zero calls blew out during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The benchmark of 90 per cent of ambulance calls to be answered within five seconds was not met in September 2021 and fell to as low as 39 per cent of calls answered on time in January 2022.
Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes will introduce the Triple Zero Victoria Bill to parliament on Wednesday, with the legislation due to start by the end of the year.
Ms Symes said it marked a new era for Victoria’s emergency call-taking and dispatch service.
“They will ensure Victorians can continue to have confidence that when they call Triple Zero, they will get the help they need, when they need it,” she said.
Under the legislation, the Department of Justice and Community Safety will be required to endorse Triple Zero Victoria’s annual financial plans and operating budgets.
The Inspector-General for Emergency Management will continue to monitor the performance of the new agency.
Staff employed by ESTA will transfer to Triple Zero Victoria on the same terms and conditions they are currently employed under.
The state government said it’s invested $363 million into the call-taking service since October 2021, bringing on more than 400 extra staff.
ESTA answered close to 2.7 million calls in the 2022-23 financial year, representing a call every 11 seconds.
The service has exceeded the 90 per cent benchmark since last August.
– AAP
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