Wellcamp quarantine facility: Investigation into taxpayer-funded site to be made public
An investigation into the state’s controversial $215m Wellcamp Covid quarantine facility will be released by the Queensland Auditor-General due to the “level of public interest”.
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An investigation into the state’s controversial $215m Wellcamp Covid quarantine facility will be released by the Queensland Auditor-General due to the “level of public interest”.
Thursday marks one year to the day since Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk proudly opened the taxpayer-funded facility, before it was officially mothballed on August 1.
But it had been barely used since last April after Queensland’s quarantine requirement for unvaccinated travellers into the state was officially scrapped, with only about 700 people ever staying at the facility.
The government struck a deal to build the facility with the prolific Wagner Corporation – owned by one of Queensland’s richest families – who will take ownership of the facility once the lease expires in April.
Auditor-General Brendan Worrall began the probe into the 1000-bed facility shortly after it was officially opened, after LNP deputy leader Jarrod Bleijie referred the matter for investigation.
In an update made Tuesday the Queensland Audit Office said the audit of the project was “largely complete”.
But the QAO also said it was still awaiting information from the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning – who oversaw the project – saying “we are in the process of resolving some follow-up questions”.
“Once we have resolved these questions, we will finalise our findings and draft our final report for consideration by management,” the update said.
“We also advised the member that given the public interest in this audit we intend to prepare and table a report to Parliament when it is complete.”
Mr Bleijie said the sage over the quarantine facility “was a joke from the start”.
“Queenslanders across the state will rightly be furious to learn that here we are now one year later and ‘Wastecamp’ is sitting there gathering dust,” he said.
“Not only do Queenslanders deserve an answer as to how and why more than $200 million of their money was spent on a white elephant, they must also know what the government is going to do with it.
“It has been an extraordinary waste of taxpayers’ money and a shameful episode for our state.”
The report was expected to investigate details of the original contract, including whether the rush to secure the negotiations resulted in a poor outcome for taxpayers, and whether any other similar proposals had been put to the government.
Deputy Premier and State Development Minister Steven Miles revealed the cost to Queensland taxpayers during last year’s senate estimate hearings, after months of the government refusing to release any figures citing “commercial in confidence”.
Mr Bleijie also said he was concerned the QAO was still waiting on information from the department.
“What is the Palaszczuk Labor Government hiding?” he said.
“This has only ever been a political plaything for this government and Queenslanders have paid the price through their taxes.”
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