Call to haul Andrew Crisp back at inquiry after retracting statement on briefing Police Minister Lisa Neville
Emergency management commissioner Andrew Crisp has revealed why he retracted evidence given during the hotel quarantine inquiry, and he could still be hauled back in front of a parliamentary committee.
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Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp has denied being ordered to retract his evidence that he “regularly” briefed Minister Lisa Neville on the botched hotel quarantine program during its set up.
Mr Crisp said on Wednesday he made the decision alone after reflecting on a transcript of his testimony to parliament’s Public Accounts and Estimate Committee in August.
He issued a letter this week correcting his evidence and stating he did not brief the Police Minister on planning for hotel quarantine arrangements.
It comes as the State Opposition has urged the hotel quarantine inquiry to make adverse findings against Daniel Andrews and key ministers, in its final submission to the probe.
Counsel assisting the inquiry was highly critical of bureaucratic and systemic failings in the running of the scheme — which sparked Victoria’s deadly second COVID-19 wave — but stopped short of proposing adverse findings against ministers.
Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien said that would be a wholly inadequate response.
“Ultimately the relevant Ministers are responsible for such failures,” Mr O’Brien said.
“The Inquiry’s report should make adverse findings against Premier Andrews, Minister (Jenny) Mikakos, Minister (Martin) Pakula and Minister Neville as each of them – whether by act or omission – contributed to the human, economic and social disaster that the failed HQ program has caused for the people of Victoria.”
Senior bureaucrats and Ministers have attempted to dodge accountability for the hotel quarantine program, claiming it was not their department’s responsibility or that they were not briefed on key issues.
Ms Neville told the inquiry that she learned about the decision to use of private security, instead of police or ADF personnel, from Mr Crisp at a meeting on March 27.
But Mr Crisp claimed he could not have provided the information, as he only found out about the hotel quarantine program after being told about it by Ms Neville that day.
Their evidence to the inquiry came almost three weeks after Mr Crisp testified to PAEC that he had regularly briefed Ms Neville when planning for the bungled operation was underway.
But he said this week: “Following my appearance at the PAEC Inquiry, I was provided with the opportunity to verify the draft transcript of those proceedings.
“Having thoroughly considered the transcript, I identified what I believe are discrepancies and appropriately, I have chosen to correct the record to ensure it is accurate.
“This is a decision I have taken alone and it was not discussed with government ministers or their offices.”
Ms Neville explicitly denied discussing the evidence clarification with Mr Crisp.
“The Commissioner’s clarification was not requested by or discussed with Minister Neville, her office or the department,” a government spokesperson said.
Daniel Andrews on Wednesday refused to be drawn on Mr Crisp’s clarification, saying it wasn’t a matter for him.
Shadow Attorney-General Ed O’Donohue called on PAEC to recall Mr Crisp over his evidence backflip.
The committee, which is probing the government’s pandemic response, is due to meet next week.
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