Victorian Labor promises to end the 'war on paramedics'

Victorian Labor has launched its campaign to win votes five weeks out from the state poll, with the support of a father whose son died waiting for an ambulance.

Steve Gibbs gave Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews his backing in front of the Labor party faithful gathered in Geelong today.

Mr Gibbs' son Matthew, 23, suffered a cardiac arrest and died in October last year after a 16 minute wait for an ambulance.

Mr Gibbs praised the paramedics who worked to save his son, who he described as a rock-solid Victorian who always paid his way but was let down in his time of absolute need.

Mr Andrews was a person of great character who had shown a great depth of compassion during every parent's worst nightmare, an emotional Mr Gibbs said.

Mr Andrews followed federal Labor leader Bill Shorten to the stage, where he praised Mr Shorten for standing up to a Coalition government that had invented a budget emergency and "cut, cut, cut again" approach.

The state opposition leader said he wouldn't let the Napthine government get away with that either.

After thanking Mr Gibbs, he promised that if elected on November 29, he'd end the "war on paramedics" and get the health system working again.