Anger over triple-0 probe wait

VICTIMS of Victoria’s crisisaddled triple-0 system have demanded to know whether a report into the service has been read by the Premier and Health Minister.

Daniel Andrews and Martin Foley have declined to say if they have read the report more than six weeks after it was handed down by former police chief Graham Ashton.

Mr Ashton was commissioned to investigate the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority following a spate of deaths blamed on triple-0 delays.

Cowes resident Stewart Grant died in January with his wife looking on as they waited 40 minutes for an ambulance.

His daughter Lisa Hennessy said the government’s response to the report had been “disgraceful”.

“Our family and others deserve urgent answers on what’s gone wrong with triple-0 – they are clearly not taking this seriously,” Ms Hennessy said.

Asked on Thursday if he had read the report, or been briefed on it, Mr Foley refused to say. It came a day after Mr Andrews also refused to say if he had read the report.

The Premier said he had been briefed on what the document contained, but Mr Foley refused to comment, saying it was a matter for the Emergency Services Minister.

The government is facing pressure to bring forward the release date of the report.

Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes, who has read the document, said it was going through normal government processes and would be made public by the end of June.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said he was shocked by the government’s go-slow in relation to acting on the report.