Ambulance union concerned about ‘unintended consequences’ as Victoria decriminalises public intoxication

The boss of Victoria’s ambulance union says questions about what will replace public drunkenness laws must be answered urgently.

Public intoxication laws are set to be scrapped in Victoria, but there are concerns the move could tie up ambulance resources and keep paramedics from more important jobs.

Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill says while the union supports the reform, he’s concerned there may be “unintended consequences that come from it”.

Press PLAY below to hear Danny Hill’s concerns about the plan

“A police cell is not the right place for someone who is heavily intoxicated, we know that, but the back of an ambulance or an emergency department bed probably ins’t the right place either,” he told Ross and Russel.

“What we don’t want to see is a situation where paramedics are hanging around and if someone becomes, as they oftne do, aggressive or violent, they refuse to come with us, that becomes a difficult situation for paramedics to deal with as well.”