Vic emergency services get govt meeting

Victoria's police and paramedic unions will meet Premier Daniel Andrews next week, seeking ironclad assurances those who assault employees will go to jail.

Victorian police and ambulance unions are expected to meet Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday, seeking to get their members an ironclad promise those who assault emergency services workers will be jailed.

The Police Association with Ambulance Employees Australia Victoria wrote to Mr Andrews on Friday, on behalf of 20,000 police, paramedics and protective service officers.

The letter states workers are "justifiably angry and disgusted" after a County Court decision this week allowed two women to avoid a mandatory six-month jail-term for assaulting a paramedic, citing "special reasons".

"This manifestly unjust outcome has occurred despite Victoria's Sentencing Act 1991 mandating a custodial sentence for people convicted of assaulting an emergency services worker," the letter reads.

While the unions welcome Health Minister Jill Hennessy's comments that the government intends to close loopholes used in the case, it wasn't enough.

"We are seeking this urgent meeting with you (Mr Andrews), so that our collective members can obtain ironclad assurances by you, on behalf of the government, that you will act with urgency to guarantee that jail will mean jail for those who choose to assault an emergency services worker - no excuses," the letter states.

The unions said any law changes must be effective and the intention of legislators should be reflected by the courts.

"They must not remain open to being bypassed or ignored. We therefore expect that in closing loopholes that they be watertight and bolted shut," the unions said.

A spokesman for Mr Andrews told AAP a meeting had been set for Monday.

Another two paramedics were kicked, punched and spat at by a patient at Caroline Springs railway station on Thursday night.

The pair were responding to reports of a man in his 60s who had collapsed, smelling of alcohol, Ambulance Victoria said on Friday.

As the man was being taken to hospital, he punched a male paramedic five times in the knee, thigh and abdomen and when he arrived, he spat at both paramedics and kicked a female paramedic in the leg.

Both paramedics continued their shift after the incident.


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Source: AAP



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