Daniel Andrews says deaths of 33 people waiting for ambulances not linked to triple-zero agency funding

Victorian premier apologises to the families of people who died during pandemic due to emergency services delays

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Victoria's premier, Daniel Andrews, has apologised to the families of 33 people who died while waiting for an ambulance during the pandemic but said the funding model of the state's triple-zero call-taking agency was not to blame.

Andrews described the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (Esta) as completely and utterly overwhelmed" by calls relating to Covid-19 at the time of the deaths, which were detailed in an independent report released on Saturday.