Hotel quarantine inquiry costing Victorian taxpayers millions
Victoria’s hotel quarantine program failed to deliver, catastrophically. Now taxpayers are forking out millions for the inquiry, including for lawyered-up state departments.
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An army of taxpayer-funded lawyers has been deployed by Victorian government departments to ensure the finger of blame doesn’t point their way when the hotel quarantine inquiry reaches its conclusion.
The Department of Health and Human Services has deployed Claire Harris QC, along with Morgan McLay and other lawyers whose names we haven’t yet heard, to defend its people.
So far, we’ve seen Julie Condon QC representing the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, Kristie Handscombe QC and Helen Tiplady for the Department of Justice and Community Safety, and Richard Attiwill QC for the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
On Thursday, Jenny Firkin QC popped up for the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, while Joanna Davidson was there for Victoria Police.
Leaving aside the eye-watering cost to taxpayers, which comes on top of the $3m set aside for the running of the inquiry, the real issue is what they’re all aiming to do.
Evidence has shown the program was set up with just 48 hours’ notice, and with good intentions. In delivery and responsibility, it failed to deliver, catastrophically.
Take this lawyered-up witness statement from senior Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions official Claire Febe on Thursday, who was initially told her department would be running it, and she would be the “lead” (boss).
Within 24 hours it became obvious DHHS was taking charge.
“After the arrangements changed I absolutely understood that DJPR was required to act as a support agency to DHHS, working under its direction as the control agency.’’
In other words, the Department of Jobs was just following orders.
But you have to feel sorry for the DJPR bureaucrats who knew they needed more security, but couldn’t get it.
One wrote to colleagues after private security was unable to stop a guest barging out of a hotel at 3am because he wanted a cigarette, saying: “Great. We’ll use this to bolster our case to DHHS that they should insist on a 24/7 police presence. Sydney has the army there for Pete’s sake.’’
Yes, Sydney did have the army. Victoria didn’t. And look how it ended up.
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