Daniel Andrews faces D-Day as Premier finally fronts hotel quarantine inquiry
Premier Daniel Andrews is preparing to be grilled over his government’s bungled hotel quarantine program at the inquiry he established to “find the answers that all Victorian are entitled to”.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Watch Dan Live. See the video stream at heraldsun.com.au and in the Herald Sun app from 2.15pm followed by analysis, how he answered the big questions and full coverage in the Saturday Herald Sun. Plus, have your say.
After months of ministers and bureaucrats dodging responsibility for the state’s bungled hotel quarantine program, Daniel Andrews will on Friday finally be grilled over the fiasco at the inquiry he established to “find the answers that all Victorians are entitled to”.
The Premier will appear as the final witness at the inquiry into the program, which sparked Victoria’s second wave that has to date infected 18,374 people and claimed 752 lives. A string of key questions remain unanswered, including who made the decision to hire private security to guard the quarantine hotels, and why Australian Defence Force offers to assist the program were rejected.
Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien urged the Premier to be honest with Victorians.
“Andrews keeps saying he is responsible for everything that happens in his government and the buck stops with him,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Hotel quarantine is what has given Victoria the second wave. It’s what’s given us the deaths, the business closures and the loss of jobs.
“All we want him to do is tell the truth.”
Mr Andrews sparked a war of words in August when he denied that Victoria had knocked back ADF help.
“I think it is fundamentally incorrect to assert that there was hundreds of ADF staff on offer and somehow someone said ‘No’,” he told a parliamentary inquiry.
But multiple emails and other written records have emerged as part of the official inquiry, chaired by former judge Jennifer Coate, which show ADF help was offered several times.
Ms Coate made her views known on Thursday when she put to Health Minister Jenny Mikakos: “I’m asking you about whether or not you knew that there were offers being made for members of the Australian Defence Force to be available to the program.’’
Mr Andrews has repeatedly used the inquiry to deflect questions about the government’s failings.
On Thursday, he said there was “no denying” mistakes had been made, and promised to answer all questions in a “clear and frank way”. “The only expectation I have is to answer all questions put to me,” he said.
Josh Frydenberg said Victorians deserved answers from the hotel quarantine inquiry about the state government’s “bungle” that caused “tragic consequences”.
“So far, the Victorian people haven’t got those answers, so we await those answers,” the Treasurer said.
It comes after three letters, released on Wednesday, revealed Prime Minister Scott Morrison pressured Mr Andrews in July to accept up to 1000 ADF personnel as the state battled the second wave.
Mr Andrews yesterday denied he had been reluctant to accept the army’s help.
“I don’t think you can assume that at all,” he said, adding that he would “need to check” if he had accepted the ADF’s help after the Prime Minister’s first letter.
At the inquiry, Mr Andrews will also be grilled on the total cost of the program, with counsel assisting the inquiry, Ben Ihle, flagging that he would seek that figure.
The Premier’s testimony comes after senior ministers Jenny Mikakos, Lisa Neville and Martin Pakula, all members of state cabinet’s crisis council, were unable to detail who made key decisions.
Mr Andrews would not be drawn on his ministers’ responses to the inquiry or whether he was concerned they were not aware of the critical decisions made within their departments.
“What I am concerned to do is to allow the process that I have established to run its course,” he said.
Asked what ministerial responsibility meant, the Premier said: “All ministers are fully aware of accountability for those matters that go on within their portfolio.
“That’s a well-understood concept and I am very confident that everyone in the government fully understands that,” he said.
Former premier Jeff Kennett labelled the inquiry “a sham”. He said the Ministers on the Crisis Council of Cabinet, who could not recall key decisions, were “all jointly liable and should be found guilty of negligence”.
“Ms Coate should find the Gang Of Eight guilty of gross mismanagement,” Mr Kennett said. “Clearly none has accepted responsibility for the errors of management. If none can remember what they were responsible for in the last six months, they are clearly not competent to manage anything for the next six months.
MORE NEWS
GOVERNMENT ORDERED TO RELEASE LEGAL ADVICE ON CURFEW