And how much, Dr. Simon, is this also a product of the fact that cost of living, people don't want to necessarily or can afford to go to the doctor, so they go to the emergency department?

I don't think we've really looked into and really tried to calculate that specifically.

We do know that obviously we have seen issues around access to specialist care, for example, as being an issue that's been raised.

Certainly access to GPs, we would like to see the government support improved access to GPs because clearly if people can access their general practitioners and have continuity of care, It does provide a, you know, keeps people out of hospitals.

But I think the main thing that we've seen impacting EDs is the fact that our hospitals are full.

We've got, you know, many, many patients spending a long time in our hospitals, which then clogs up our emergency departments, which then leads to ambulance ramping and blows our waiting times out.

So the whole system is operating, you know, at overcapacity.

Is that the case?

What's happening that we don't have an EBA? How do we get to a situation where there's six months down the track with no contract with your employer?

I guess, you know, we probably need to ask somebody else that question because we continue to be dumbfounded by the fact that we're actually in this at this point now.

First of all, a call out to all of those doctors out there who are actually, you know, stepping up and participating in those stock work meetings.

and to the amazing staff of AMA and ASMOF for doing what they do.

It's been an incredibly long negotiation.

The definition of negotiation, it's not really negotiation because we've been trying to negotiate and we haven't really got anywhere.

And I guess the other message is none of us want to be doing this.

What's occupying your mind at the moment about climate change?

So, Doctor, I had no idea that public hospital doctors would be unionised.

I guess it's, you know, any public service, there is a, ASMOF is a union that represents doctors and works alongside in partnership with the AMA Victoria.

But this is an action which is really focusing on safer work conditions.

We know that our public hospital doctors work in incredibly challenging environments.

The work is challenging but incredibly rewarding.

But there are a lot of work conditions that just aren't sustainable.

The long hours, not having access to You know, time off, overtime requirements, all sorts.

Have you got more than you need or less than you need?

Okay, Doctor, what has caused frustration and disappointment?

Well, we've been negotiating.

There's a cycle of enterprise bargaining agreements, and we're public hospital doctors, and so we've been working with the government for the last almost 12 months now, meetings once or twice a week for 12 months to try and negotiate changes in our work conditions.

And unfortunately, we still don't have an offer on the table.

And so...

You know, enough's enough.

You know, we need to get a resolution on this thing.

Any indications that she might be easier to deal with?

We've all made the observation in here, Doctor, that doctors don't strike us as the striking type.

Um...

No, exactly true.

And I think that's a real indicator of, I guess, the frustration and disappointment that we've, you know, bore us to this point.

It's been 20 years since we've had to take any sort of similar action.

And so, you know, we are, I guess, very disappointed that we've really got to this point.

We certainly don't want to go down this path, but we certainly, you know, we feel like we don't really have too many other options now.

Okay, Doctor, what has caused frustration and disappointment?

Look, Dr Simon, I imagine you're going to be a bit more measured in your approach, but the issue here is the same, that we've got people going to work to save lives who are being assaulted and don't have a safe workplace.

Yeah, look, I think...

I agree.

The situation has been, I think, is not just a...

I need to point out that it's not just a situation that happens in Melbourne and Victoria.

This is something that's happening across all jurisdictions across the country.

You know, we see reports out of Sydney, we receive reports out of Brisbane, we see it from the Northern Territory.

Like, this is just completely insane.