Victoria rejected ADF help on hotel quarantine, defence minister says
The federal government has strongly slapped down claims from Daniel Andrews that ADF personnel were not offered to manage Victoria’s troubled hotel quarantine system, with the Defence Minister hitting back, saying the offer was rejected in March.
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The federal government has strongly slapped down a claim from Premier Daniel Andrews that the Australian Defence Force was not offered to assist Victoria’s problem-plagued hotel quarantine system.
Mr Andrews made the claim in evidence to the state parliament’s public accounts and estimates committee on Tuesday.
But federal Defence Minister Linda Reynolds quickly hit back, saying ADF assistance had been offered as early as March 27.
“The ADF was consistently advised that its assistance was not required for any ‘public-facing roles’ in Victoria,” she said.
In a press conference announcing the hotel quarantine program that day, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said ADF personnel would be offered to “assist in compliance with these arrangements”.
The Victorian government confirmed at the time National Cabinet agreed the ADF would be engaged to support the implementation of new quarantine arrangements.
Mr Andrews claimed on Tuesday, however, it was “fundamentally incorrect” that his government “said no” to hundreds of ADF members coming to help.
“I don’t believe ADF support was on offer. It’s been provided in limited circumstances in New South Wales, not to provide security as such but to provide transportation from the airport to hotels,” he said.
But Ms Reynolds said the ADF had established planning teams in every state from March 21 to “rapidly facilitate any requests for support”.
“Throughout the pandemic the Australian Defence Force has been postured to respond to requests for support from the state and territories at very short notice,” she said.
“ADF officials asked whether Victorian authorities required assistance with its mandatory quarantine system on multiple occasions. No request for quarantine support was subsequently received from Victoria at that time.”
Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien accused Mr Andrews of lying.
“This dishonest attempt to cover up Labor’s hotel quarantine scandal shows that Daniel Andrews is only interested in protecting his miserable government, not in telling the truth,” Mr O’Brien said.
The ADF was involved in monitoring and compliance of hotel quarantine programs in NSW and Queensland.
A request for assistance by Victoria was accepted on June 24, for 850 ADF members “to assist with hotel quarantine compliance”. But the request was withdrawn the next day.
“The decision to withdraw the request is a matter for the Victorian government,” Ms Reynolds said.
Asked who made the decision to use private security guards in the hotel quarantine program, Mr Andrews said a proposal was drawn up to extend an already-running hotel isolation program. But he was unable to nominate specific decision-makers and refused to comment on an interdepartmental email that flagged concerns about the program within 24 hours of its launch.
Mr Andrews repeatedly said he could not answer questions about the program as an inquiry was pending. But he was forced to concede the probe was not a judicial inquiry as he has repeatedly stated.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton told the committee he was not involved in the contracting of private security at quarantine hotels. “I was not informed of it and I was not asked for advice,” he said.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said she first became aware of infection control problems inside hotels on May 26, when a security guard at Melbourne’s Rydges hotel was diagnosed with the virus.
Department of Health and Human Services secretary Kym Peake said her department was responsible for developing the hotel quarantine plan, but that she could not name the people who had oversight of the program.
MICHAEL O’BRIEN ACCUSES PREMIER OF LIES
Opposition leader Michael O’Brien has launched a scathing attack on premier Daniel Andrew accusing him of lying about ADF support on offer for the state’s bungled hotel quarantine inquiry.
“Premier Daniel Andrews has lied to the Parliament’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, which is set up to ensure accountability and transparency,” Mr O’Brien said.
“When questioned by the committee, Daniel Andrews said there was no ADF support on offer to help the Victorian Government manage its hotel quarantine program. But a statement by the Federal Defence Minister clarified that multiple offers were made and rejected by Andrews.
“The Andrews Labor Government has lied to Parliament and lied to Victorians.
“This dishonest attempt to cover up Labor’s hotel quarantine scandal shows that Daniel Andrews is only interested in protecting his miserable government, not in telling the truth.”
SUTTON ‘NOT INVOLVED’ IN SECURITY GUARDS DECISION
Victoria’s chief health officer has revealed he was not asked whether it was appropriate to use security guards to patrol hotels during the state’s failed quarantine program.
Professor Brett Sutton faced questions on Tuesday at a parliamentary committee hearing into the government’s response to coronavirus.
He was asked several times by state Opposition MP Richard Riordan about the decision to use private security guards.
“I was not involved in that decision making whatsoever,” Prof Sutton said.
“I can’t speak to the broader department, but I was not informed of it, and I was not asked for advice.”
Prof Sutton said he was sure senior Department of Health and Human Services officials were involved in the decision, but he wasn’t in relation to contracting security guards.
PREMIER DODGES QUARANTINE QUESTIONS
Premier Daniel Andrews has continued to deflect tough questions about Victoria’s bungled hotel quarantine program and its role in creating our second wave of coronavirus cases.
But Mr Andrews was forced to admit initial data, prepared by the Doherty Institute, showed a “significant” number of second wave COVID-19 cases could be linked to the program.
Appearing before the parliament’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) on Tuesday into the state’s coronavirus response, Mr Andrews avoided many questions about the program.
They included why private security was used to patrol hotels and not the Australian Defence Force.
Mr Andrews did say that the use of private security was an extension of services already on the ground and running and that ADF support was not on offer at the time.
Asked if he regrets the decision he responded: “No one wanted a second wave, none of us have the luxury of going back in time.”
Mr Andrews also defended Jobs Minister Martin Pakula, who was singled out for criticism about the program.
Mr Andrews said he would not be calling for Mr Pakula’s resignation and he took full responsibility for the program on his own shoulders.
Under fire from PAEC deputy chair and Liberal MP Richard Riordan, Mr Andrews was also asked how he would take personal responsibility for the most “disastrous economic and social catastrophe in Victorian history”.
Mr Andrews said his sole focus was ensuring Victoria could successfully navigate a path out of the second wave.
Under questioning from Greens MP Sam Hibbins, Mr Andrews defended the government’s handling of a hard lockdown of public housing towers.
In particular, Mr Andrews was quizzed on delays in getting food to residents locked inside their homes.
He said the government was forced to follow the advice of chief health officer Brett Sutton, and urgent action was required.
“Was it perfect, of course not,” Mr Andrews said.
“The ultimate vulnerability here was not whether somebody got fed within five hours or whether they had to wait until the following day to get a bag of groceries.
“The ultimate vulnerability … was this thing infecting everyone in those towers and hundreds of people dying.”
Mr Andrews was appearing before the parliamentary committee to answer questions over his government’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis.
Victoria’s trouble-plagued hotel quarantine program is tipped be a key focus of the hearing.
Jennifer Coate, who is running an inquiry into the bungled quarantine program, last week gave the all clear for the Premier and other ministers to answer questions over the program, saying there was no risk of prejudice to her inquiry.
Serious failings of the program are believed to have caused Victoria’s deadly second wave.
Mr Andrews appeared at the hearing in May when the state’s number of coronavirus cases was about a sixth of the current total.
At that time 18 Victorians had died, compared with 228 so far.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton and his deputy, Allen Cheng are also listed to appear before the committee today.
Other senior public servants will also be called before the committee.
PAEC is made up of five Labor MPs, three Coalition MPs, a Green and a Liberal Democrat.
Opposition leader Michael O’Brien said the hearing’s focus should be on looking for answers rather than scoring political points.
“We simply want the answers, we want the truth on behalf of Victorians,” he said.
“We are the only state that is subject to stage four, the only state under curfew, I think Victorians are entitled to answers.”
Following Ms Coate’s green light last week, the Herald Sun sent Mr Andrews’ office a list of 17 key questions about hotel quarantine and his knowledge of the bungled program.
The questions, below, were not answered.
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Originally published as Victoria rejected ADF help on hotel quarantine, defence minister says