The secret Wellcamp document we’re not allowed to see

The cost and delivery timeline of the controversial Wellcamp quarantine facility is being kept secret due to a commercial-in-confidence agreement, it can be revealed.

The state government is keeping a document regarding its contentious Wellcamp quarantine facility secret because of a commercial-in-confidence agreement.

A Right-to-Information officer has refused The Courier-Mail access to a four-page document, saying an agreement between the government and Wagner Corporation prevented its release.

“The agreement is itself a contract, which impose upon the state and Wagner Corporation strict contractual confidentially obligations not to disclose certain matters,” the officer said in a decision letter.

“Having had the benefit of examining the terms of the agreement, it is clear that there has been exchange of consideration between the parties in relation to the contract, so as to support the contractual obligation of confidence.

“Disclosure of the information relating to this agreement, the discovered document, would found an action for breach of confidence.”

John Wagner with Annastacia Palaszczuk and Deputy Premier Steven Miles at the Wellcamp quarantine hub. Picture: Nev Madsen.

The Courier-Mail had requested any correspondence concerning the cost and delivery timeline of the quarantine facility in Toowoomba, created between October 15, 2021 to January 20, 2022, between Deputy Premier Steven Miles’ office, his Director-General Damien Walker and Wagner Corporation.

The government is renting the new facility off Wagner Corporation which owns the land.

The RTI application comes after the government’s repeated refusal to reveal the project’s overall cost.

The government earlier this year confirmed taxpayers had spent $48.8 million on capital costs and it has not refuted media reports that the overall cost was about $190 million.

The Audit Office last month (March) revealed it was in the process of obtaining more information about the facility after Opposition finance spokesman Jarrod Bleijie requested an audit.

The state government’s Wellcamp quarantine facility. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mr Bleijie took aim at the government on Thursday claiming, “This is the sort of cover-up and secrecy that must be exposed by the Auditor-General’s investigation.”

“They (Queenslanders) should be able to see the documents,” he said.

“This is exactly why Queenslanders are finding it harder and harder to trust the Palaszczuk Labor Government.”

But a State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning spokesman said RTI decisions were made by independent public service officers who applied the requirements of the Act.

“This ensures that the government's administration of the RTI legislation is of the highest consistency, transparency and impartiality,” he said.