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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Benita Kolovos

Victorian government repeatedly warned of ‘precarious’ situation at triple-zero agency

An ambulance drives through Melbourne's CBD.
A review identified 40 ‘potential adverse events’ linked to triple-zero delays, lengthy ambulance waits and command decisions at Victoria’s emergency services agency. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

The Victorian government was warned of the “precarious financial position” at the state’s triple-zero call-taking agency about six years before Covid-19 overwhelmed the service and caused delays linked to 33 deaths.

A report by Victoria’s inspector general for emergency management (Igem), Tony Pearce, released on Saturday, identified 40 “potential adverse events” linked to triple-zero delays, lengthy ambulance waits and command decisions at the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (Esta) between December 2020 and May 2022.

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