Over the past two days in Victoria, 20 cases of children left in cars were reported to emergency authorities.

That included two little girls, aged five and 18-months-old, who were found alone in a car in a Cobram supermarket car park yesterday.

Police found the car was still running and the air-conditioning was on but the children were distressed at being left alone for about 10 minutes while mum was buying bread and milk.

There is no safe period of time that a child, or for that matter, a pet can be left alone in the vehicle.

The temperature will continue to rise in a stationary vehicle, regardless of whether the air-conditioning is on.

Leaving the car running presents a second set of dangers with the possibility the vehicle might be stolen with the children inside, or more likely that a child might accidentally release a handbrake.

Ambulance Victoria labelled the attitude of some parents and carers as appalling and we agree.

It may be inconvenient to take the kids with you, but it’s simply too great a risk to leave them alone.