Daniel Andrews says Mickleham quarantine hub no ‘white elephant’

The Mickleham quarantine hub is sitting near empty and is costing Victorian taxpayers $1.5m each week, but Daniel Andrews says it’s not a “white elephant.”

The Mickleham quarantine facility is costing taxpayers $1.5m a week. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Just 83 people are currently staying at the Mickleham quarantine facility, which is costing Victorian taxpayers $1.5m a week in running fees.

But Premier Daniel Andrews maintains the federally-owned site, which opened in February, is not a “white elephant” and should instead be viewed as an “insurance policy”.

“It’s a really important insurance policy against a rapidly changing virus,” he said on Sunday.

The Victorian Quarantine Hub – a purpose-built facility with cabin-style outdoor accommodation that can house up to 250 residents – was initially meant to be used by returned international travellers for quarantine.

However, with quarantine no longer a requirement to enter Australia, the site is now housing Covid-infected people who can’t safely isolate themselves at home.

“As it is now, we are currently using that facility in place of hotels for people who can’t do their iso at home and need to be away from family that might have chronic illness or family who have just been discharged from hospital,” Mr Andrews said.

Just 83 people are staying at the Mickleham quarantine hub. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

“I expect those numbers will probably grow.

“We’ll finish up with more and more people as case numbers continue to grow that will need that bespoke, safe purpose built facility.

“It’s being used. (There’s) 83 today, I expect if you ask me in a week’s time there might be more than 83.”

While the Commonwealth funded the facility’s build, the Victorian government is responsible for the ongoing costs associated with people staying at the facility.

Mr Andrews defended the weekly $1.5m spend, stating it was a cheaper alternative than returning to the bungled hotel quarantine program.

Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews. Picture: Ian Currie

“If they were in a hotel, it’d be costing a lot more than $1.5 million a week, let me assure you, and we wouldn’t be anywhere near as safe,” he said.

“Hotels are for tourists, hotels are not for people who have got a wildly infectious disease. We know that, clearly.

“Seriously, there is a standby cost (of the Mickleham facility), absolutely there is (but) it’s the safest way to do this important work.”

Mr Andrews added the facility was recently used to house refugees and could also be used as emergency accommodation for people displaced by natural disaster.

“It is a comfort to know that the facility is there and can flex up and down and be there for all of us,” he said.

“The last two years I think have shown us that you can predict only so much. You can be certain about only so much.”

But Mr Andrews refused to say whether he supported calls from the Australian Medical Association’s to use the facility to house National Disability Insurance Scheme patients stuck in hospitals awaiting funding for housing.

“I’m not in a position to endorse that today,” he said.

“We’re always happy to look at things. Alternate uses of this facility has been something we’ve been working through for quite some time.”