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Self-Employed Australia wants ministers, premier, public servants prosecuted for botched hotel quarantine program

WorkSafe has been asked to prosecute Bellarine MP Lisa Neville and other politicians and public servants for workplace manslaughter among other offences following the state’s botched hotel quarantine program.

Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos resigns

WorkSafe has been asked to prosecute Bellarine MP Lisa Neville for workplace manslaughter among other offences following the state’s botched hotel quarantine program.

Ms Neville, the state’s police and emergency services minister, is among a group of more than 10 including Premier Daniel Andrews, ministers and public servants that Ken Phillips, executive director at the national association for independent contractors, wants investigated for contravening the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Victorian Police and Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville gives evidence at the hotel quarantine inquiry on Wednesday, 23 September.
Victorian Police and Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville gives evidence at the hotel quarantine inquiry on Wednesday, 23 September.

Mr Phillips, of Self-Employed Australia, said Ms Neville and others should “be prosecuted” for:

WORKPLACE manslaughter, jailable for a maximum of 25 years;

NOT PROVIDING safe entry and exit to a workplace, carrying a maximum fine of almost $298,000;

PLACING workers in danger of serious injury, jailable for a maximum of five years or a $298,000 fine; and

BEING a part of the government that allegedly breached the OHS Act.

Ms Neville is named in SEA’s letter alongside former Health Minister Jenny Mikakos, Jobs Minister Martin Pakula and chief health officer Brett Sutton.

WorkSafe did not say if it would investigate, and a spokesman said: “investigations into workplaces associated with the COVID-19 hotel quarantine program is continuing.”

Ms Neville said she answered all questions put to her when she appeared before the hotel quarantine inquiry and would “leave the process to run its course.”

“WorkSafe is an independent regulator and it is a matter for them what they investigate,” Ms Neville said.

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An SEA statement on the matter said: “to fail to prosecute the Victorian government is a recipe for the collapse of the rule of law. (SEA) does not allege or suggest the guilt of any named party.”

Mr Phillips said evidence from the board of inquiry into the hotel quarantine program showed government failings resulted in more than 17,800 people contracting COVID-19, hundreds of people being admitted to hospital and 765 people dying.

“The prosecutions should be brought … in relation to the planning, development, control, operation and management of the Victoria government Hotel Quarantine Containment Program, including but not limited to the decision to engage private security agencies to guard returned international travellers.”

WorkSafe has three months to lodge prosecutions or give reasons why it will not do so.

Originally published as Self-Employed Australia wants ministers, premier, public servants prosecuted for botched hotel quarantine program

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/selfemployed-australia-wants-ministers-premier-public-servants-prosecuted-for-botched-hotel-quarantine-program/news-story/37b5a8e9e7eded8e3c0f08c3fa1ec179