Pike Pikes Out As Bracks Blunders On Ambulances
The Age
Wednesday March 22, 2006
THE State Government has admitted it will not be able to provide Victoria's rural ambulance with a computer-aided dispatch before the state election.
The Government yesterday conceded it would be impossible to upgrade the service, the only one in Australia without a computer-aided dispatch, before the November poll. Taxpayers have already invested $11.8 million to fix the system, in which emergencies are still recorded on pieces of paper.Confusion mounted yesterday when Premier Steve Bracks said it would be implemented by year's end. Asked if the overhaul would take place before the November 25 election, Mr Bracks said: "Yes, we're hopeful that will be delivered. We've obviously got the money secured, we're seeking the bids . . . to undertake that project, and we hope that that will be done in a very timely way."But four hours later, Health Minister Bronwyn Pike's office moved to "clarify" the comments, saying the Premier did not mean to commit to a pre-election time frame. "It just won't be possible to get it up and running by November," said Ms Pike's spokesman, Ben Hart.The Age yesterday revealed that the country ambulance service was gagging employees, and investigating a former health and safety officer for raising claims in the media last year of bullying and "cover-ups".But the lack of a computerised dispatch has long been an issue for Rural Ambulance Victoria. In November 2004, after a parliamentary committee called for an upgrade as a matter of "urgent priority", Mr Bracks told Parliament: "We have already provided $5 million as an initial payment for that, and we will provide the rest of the money for it in the future. We will do what the previous government could not do."Nationals leader Peter Ryan said the Government's failure to deliver its promise proved Labor was not committed to improving safety in the country service.
© 2006 The Age