The Victorian opposition has pledged to further overhaul the state's triple-0 call service if it wins the November election, and put a greater focus on police response times.
Both of the major parties have been outlining their plans for the state's health system and triple-0 call operator ESTA, after COVID-19 pandemic pressure revealed structural weaknesses in funding.
A recent report by the Inspector General of Emergency Management found ESTA's funding model contributed to it becoming overwhelmed when calls surged in the period around the wave of Omicron variant infections.
The government, which had already allocated $333 million in the May budget to hire 400 more ESTA workers, pledged to develop an ongoing funding model in response.
Today, Shadow Minister for Emergency Services Brad Battin said a Coalition government would also develop a sustainable funding model and would invest an additional $125 million to upgrade IT systems and train more staff to take calls across emergency services.
The inspector's report found just 16 per cent of ESTA's workforce was able to take calls across more than one of the four emergency services (ambulance, fire, police and SES).
The inspector noted part of that was due to industrial agreements limiting staff flexibility.
Mr Battin said that meant staff were working in "silos".
"So when we have issues or major events like Black Saturday, thunderstorm asthma, or most recently, COVID, you've got people in certain departments who will be a lot quieter and not using their time effectively to protect Victorians," he said.
Mr Battin said the opposition would train 50 per cent of all call taking and dispatch staff to work across multiple services.
"To ensure when you call from home, whether you're calling for police, fire or ambulance, no matter the surge, we've got the staff available so your call is answered on time, every time," he said.
United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall said the plan to train call-takers across multiple disciplines "was worth looking at".
"However given the complexities of each emergency service organisation it's unlikely a person would be able to get across it all," Mr Marshall told the ABC.
Push to make police response times public
The opposition has also committed to making police response times public, to help the community monitor Victoria Police's effectiveness.
"Because you need to know that when you call for the police, they will turn up," he said.
Mr Battin, a former police officer, said the Coalition would also put $20 million into a mental health program set up by the police union to support officers.
The Blue Hub service, established by Police Association Victoria, has been lobbying for ongoing funding after running as a pilot program.
"We're very proud of our Victoria Police, we want to continue to work with them," Mr Battin said.
"And this is one step to ensure that they can get back to work or get back on with life after receiving a mental health injury at work."
The union's secretary, Wayne Gatt, said nearly half of the members involved in the program were on track to get back to work, compared to 7 per cent in similar programs that were not police-specific.
"It's only by providing that nuanced support that we're seeing such positive impacts and return-to-work rates by the community police that have been so fortunate to use that pilot," he said.
Government says triple-0 issues already being addressed
The opposition has presented its proposed multi-billion-dollar health spending as a better use of the money it plans to save by shelving the Andrews government's Suburban Rail Loop loop project.
The government has rejected the argument that Victorians must choose between the major rail project and a functioning healthcare system.
The government unveiled billions of dollars in spending across health and mental health in its May budget.
Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes said the government had been consistently investing in more staff at ESTA and was committed to putting in place the long-term reforms that were needed.
Ms Symes also said the surge period issues focused on in the report "weren't happening now".
"The investment from the Labor government, working with that workforce, supporting that workforce, putting in measures for their mental health, support for their rostering, empowering the management and really getting the organisation to a standard that Victorians can rely on, the benchmark has been met now," she said.
"And we'll continue to support this amazing organisation so Victorians can rely on it going into the future."
