Covid NSW: Senior MPs including Anthony Roberts, Andrew Constance in isolation

Corrections Minister Anthony Roberts has checked himself into a quarantine hotel while other MPs and staffers are isolating at home — along with thousands of Sydneysiders — in a bid to stop the spread of Covid.

Prisons Minister Anthony Roberts checked himself into a quarantine hotel while others fled home as chaos reigned across the NSW parliament on Friday with inconsistencies over who was being required to isolate.

Several ministers and MPs were initially told to isolate until they had tested negative only to be called up on Thursday night and Friday to be ordered into a 14-day lockdown.

It is understood Nationals MPs who attended a party room meeting with Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall on Tuesday morning have since been deemed close contacts. However, not all Coalition MPs who attended the later joint party room meeting with Mr Marshall have been ordered into 14-day isolation.

The inconsistencies and changes in advice have triggered an uproar among parliamentarians, with at least one angry Nationals MP accusing Premier Gladys Berejiklian of “running a protection racket”.

Corrections and Counter Terrorism Minister Anthony Roberts on the balcony of his quarantine hotel. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

The Premier herself has been declared a casual contact along with Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, meaning they only have to isolate until they return a negative test.

However, given Parliament House is in the City of Sydney “red zone”, they are subject to the stay-at-home restrictions banning non-essential travel.

The food rations in Anthony Roberts’ quarantine hotel. Picture: Supplied

Ms Berejiklian and Mr Perrottet both dropped in to the NSW Nationals Budget Night Dinner in The Strangers’ Function Room on Tuesday night where Mr Marshall had been present to give speeches before leaving soon afterwards.

Mr Marshall, who returned a positive test – after earlier having had a negative result – is believed to have contracted Covid while dining at Christo’s Pizzeria in Paddington on Monday night.

Police Minister David Elliott, who was in the Lower House chamber with Mr Marshall on Tuesday, was among the parliamentarians to receive a change of advice.

Mr Elliott was initially contacted by the NSW Health contact tracing team who informed him that he was a casual contact.

Mr Elliott, who would cancelled his holiday on Wednesday, said he was again contacted on Friday to be told he was being deemed a close contact.  

“I was supposed to take my family to the Gold Coast for a five day holiday from tonight,” he said.

Mr Elliott, who has had to cancel six holidays due to Covid outbreaks and the summer bushfires, said he would use the time working on policies and reading.

Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean was also initially told he was a casual contact and had bunkered down in his spare room with his cat until pending a negative test and further instructions.

By on Friday morning, the Hornsby MP was also informed that he would have to remain in isolation for two weeks after a review of CCTV footage of the Lower House chamber showed Mr Kean chatting to Mr Marshall on Tuesday.

Transport and Roads Minister Andrew Constance has joined a growing list of MPs in isolation. Picture: Tim Pascoe

Planning Minister Rob Stokes has been deemed a close contact of Adam Marshall. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Nikki Short

Planning Minister Rob Stokes and Transport Minister Andrew Constance were also told they were close contacts as they had been in the same quadrant of the chamber as Mr Marshall. Mr Stokes is isolating at home.

Mr Constance was given NSW Health approval to travel home to Bega where he is also now isolating.

Water Minister Melinda Pavey, who sat opposite Mr Marshall at the Nationals function, had been on her way to the airport when she learned her party colleague may be positive.

Ms Pavey, has since been deemed a close contact, and is isolating at home after being given NSW Health approval to travel back.

Covid-positive Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall speaking to The Daily Telegraph from isolation.

Corrections Minister Anthony Roberts, who had also been in the chamber with Mr Marshall, took the cautionary approach of undertaking his isolation in a health-approved quarantine hotel.

Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello was not in the chamber, but an informal “pop in” by Mr Marshall in to his office left the Ryde MP also being deemed a close contact and required to isolate for two weeks.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro who was in both the party room meeting and Nationals Budget function was also placed in to isolation.

It was not just ministers isolating – tens of ministerial staffers at Parliament House were also ordered in to lockdown, including around half a dozen from the Premier’s office.

It is understood Mr Marshall visited the Premier’s office while potentially infectious, although Ms Berejiklian herself was not there.

The visit led to at least six of her staff being deemed close contacts. Mr Marshall, whom one minister dubbed “a wanderer”, is understood to have visited various other minister’s offices while infectious, which has sent tens of staffers into isolation.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian was classed as a casual contact. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

Asked about the inconsistencies, Ms Berejiklian said hours of assessments were undertaken before NSW Health made its decisions.

“Please know for every transmission that occurs, Health goes through hours and hours of evidence and CCTV footage to make those assessments,” she said.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said there were “complexities” in deciding who might be a close contact.

“Our public health clinicians have reviewed CCTV footage,” she said.

“We’re looking at the layout of various rooms and looking at video to see who sat around him, and using multiple methods to triangulate it.”

Meanwhile, lawyer Julia Monahan is one of hundreds of city workers hit with stay-at-home orders.

The 38-year-old lives with her husband and three children in Elderslie, near Camden, but made a brief visit to her firm’s office in the city on Wednesday.

“I drove into the city, parked in the car park underneath the building and caught the lift – on my own – up to the office,” she said.

“I was only there for about two hours and we wore masks inside.”

The family had planned to take the kids to the snow next week.