Peta Credlin: Hotel Quarantine Inquiry must recall witnesses to probe fiasco
The testimony of Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton — who told the hotel quarantine inquiry he never knew about private security in hotels when the emails he’d replied to showed he did — is untrustworthy. But why stop at him, asks Peta Credlin.
Opinion
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The fact that the hotel quarantine inquiry has sought more information from Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton reveals Justice Jennifer Coate’s doubts about his evidence. Of course the testimony of the guy who said that he never knew about private security, when the emails he’d replied to showed that he did, is untrustworthy. But why stop at him?
The former head of the Premier’s Department testified on oath that he’d not spoken to the former police commissioner only to be contradicted by his phone records. The Emergency Management Commissioner told an earlier parliamentary inquiry three times that he’d briefed the Police Minister on the critical days decisions were made, only to deny he’d done so once she testified to Coate.
The Premier swore to the inquiry that he never knew that military help was available, even though he’d said several times on the record that it was — including one of his own media releases. And the former Health Minister has said that she strongly disagreed with the Premier’s evidence.
So why isn’t more being asked of them?
And as for the inquiry’s own preliminary conclusion that no actual decision was ever made to use dodgy private bouncers to run hotel quarantine — including $30m given on the basis of a few emails to a company that wasn’t on the approved list — that it was just a “creeping assumption”, well, that’s simply not credible.
Tuesday’s “extraordinary” hearing suggests that the inquiry is setting up Sutton to take the fall for Dan Andrews’ incompetence and deceit. It also reinforces suspicions that the last thing this inquiry was set up to find is the truth.
All it’s got to date is what individuals and governments have been willing to hand over. That’s a long way from everything and, as we’ve seen, witness after witness declaring under oath that they can’t recall and can’t remember.
Then there’s the obvious conflict of interest in having the government’s own solicitors briefing the inquiry into government officials and government policy; the fact that material witnesses like the head of Unified Security and the Premier’s chief of staff were never called; and that cross-examination of witnesses other than by counsel assisting was almost never allowed.
For the sake of the 800 Victorians who died because the virus escaped and the five million Victorians locked down in consequence of the government’s fatal error, the inquiry needs to recall witnesses and probe their stories. If not, while a retired family court judge may be presiding, Inspector Clouseau is in charge.
MORE NEWS
BRETT SUTTON EXPOSED IN EMAIL CHAIN
NEW CASE MAY BE A REINFECTIONS, ANDREWS HINTS AT EASING
POLICE CHIEFS AGREED ON SOLDIERS FOR HOTEL QUARANTINE
Originally published as Peta Credlin: Hotel Quarantine Inquiry must recall witnesses to probe fiasco