Brett Sutton defends claim he didn’t know about private security decision for hotel quarantine
Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton has backed his original testimony at the hotel quarantine inquiry, where he said he was not aware of private security being used, despite a contrary chain of emails emerging.
HS Coronavirus News
Don't miss out on the headlines from HS Coronavirus News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton is standing by his testimony to the hotel quarantine inquiry despite a contradictory chain of emails emerging.
Prof Sutton told the Coate inquiry, which will sensationally reopen for a special hearing this week, that he was not aware of private security being used at the hotel quarantine scheme until May.
However, an email on March 27 — to which Prof Sutton replied — mentioned the use of private security being contracted.
The email, titled “Vic Hotel Quarantine Arrangements”, shows someone responding to the Commonwealth on behalf of Prof Sutton and him replying: “Thanks so much”.
Prof Sutton said he didn’t register the details of the email.
“I thanked them for the responses that they were given but I clearly did not register that anything was being said about private security, otherwise I would have gone to the inquiry and said I was aware of it,” Prof Sutton said Saturday.
Prof Sutton suggested that a DHHS team that sifted through his emails — all of which he made available to them — made a decision on what to send to the inquiry.
“I made all my emails, archived and otherwise, right from the start of this pandemic available for this team to go through.
“My role is not to determine what emails go or don’t go.”
The hotel quarantine inquiry has been rocked by explosive evidence recently, which led to the resignation of Health Minister Jenny Mikakos and Department of Premier and Cabinet Chris Eccles.
Yesterday, senior legal sources told the Herald Sun it is potentially significant that the submissions to the inquiry on behalf of DHHS were signed by a solicitor rather than barristers representing the department.
“Were they uncomfortable? Did they lose an internal fight?” one source said.
Premier Daniel Andrews strongly backed Prof Sutton yesterday, but said he was in “furious agreement” that the email should not have been withheld from the inquiry.
He did not respond to whether a similar issue could have occurred with the Department of Premier and Cabinet documents made available.
Mr Andrews said Prof Sutton and his team “have my complete confidence” and praised the work they were doing to support every Victoria family to stay safe during the pandemic.
READ MORE:
SUTTON APOLOGISES FOR AFGHANI COMMUNITY CONFLICT