Coronavirus Victoria: First hearing into bungled hotel quarantine program

A $3 million inquiry launched today will examine the possibility that every coronavirus case in Victoria is linked to the bungled hotel quarantine program.

The $3 million inquiry into Victoria’s bungled coronavirus hotel quarantine program won’t cross-examine witnesses for at least another fortnight.

The first public hearing got under way in Melbourne on Monday and heard short opening statements from Jennifer Coate, AO, who is leading the inquiry, and senior counsel assisting the inquiry, Tony Neal, QC.

No witnesses were called on Monday, and Mr Neal told the inquiry the first evidentiary public hearing would start on August 6 when the examination of witnesses would begin.

He said evidence already available to the inquiry suggested the possibility of a link between many of the cases of coronavirus identified in the Victorian community in the past few weeks and people who were quarantined under the hotel program.

“Comments made by the chief health officer to the media have suggested that it may even be that every case of COVID-19 in Victoria in recent weeks could be sourced to the hotel quarantine program,” Mr Neal said.

“Increasingly over recent weeks there has been growing and understandable community concern about transmission from that program into the general community.”

Mr Neal said some of the issues already identified were the speed at which the hotel quarantine program had to be established, resourcing and decision making around the contractual arrangements.

He said what concerns and complaints emerged regarding the program, to who they were reported and how they were addressed had also been identified as an issue, as well as lines of accountability and the extent of testing of those involved in the program.

Mr Neal said the process of identifying witnesses had already started and would include relevant medical experts, relevant decision makers in government and their officials, hotel operators, private service providers, their employees and people subject to quarantine.

Security guards at the Stanford Hotel, Melbourne, which has been linked to a COVID-19 cluster for quarantined international arrivals. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Andrew Henshaw

Premier Daniel Andrews has repeatedly refused to answer questions about the hotel quarantine program at his daily media briefings since the inquiry was established on July 2, saying it would be inappropriate to comment while the review was ongoing.

When quizzed by reporters on Monday as to whether he and his ministers would make themselves available, Mr Andrews said it was a matter for Justice Coate who was called to give evidence.

“Everybody should participate fully … (and) be involved to the extent that they need to be,” he said.

“I won’t tell a former judge how to do her work. She will call whoever she thinks she needs to call. Anyone who is called should turn up.

“What has gone here is completely unacceptable to me and indeed unacceptable to all of us, but the best thing to do is to have that proper understanding of exactly what has gone on.

“Those answers, that is what we’re entitled to and that is what the judicial process, at arm’s length from government, will appropriately deliver, I am very confident of that.”

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has refused to answer questions about hotel quarantine since the inquiry was established. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Ian Currie

The inquiry has been set up to examine the decisions and actions of government agencies, hotel operators and private contractors during the hotel quarantine program, the communication between the three parties, the contractual arrangements and the information, guidance, training and equipment provided to staff in hotels.

Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton has told the Government that several coronavirus cases in the community have been linked through genomic sequencing to an infection control breach in the hotel quarantine program.

Victoria’s hotel quarantine program has been suspended since its failures were revealed, with flights carrying international returned travellers diverted to other cities across the country.

Mr Neal said the government agencies and departments identified as interest to the inquiry were the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, Department of Treasury and Finance, Department of Justice and Community Safety, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Department of Transport, Victoria Police, Emergency Management Victoria and Ambulance Victoria.

He said several private Melbourne hotels and security companies, including the Travelodge Hotel, Stamford Plaza, Rydges on Swanston, Park Royal Hotel at Melbourne Airport, Holiday Inn, Four Points by Sheraton, Wilson Security, United Risk Management, Ultimate Protection Services, Unified Security Group Australia, MSS Security, Elite Protection Services Australia, Australian Protection Group and The Security Hub, had also already been identified by the inquiry.

Mr Neal said all of those agencies, departments and private companies had been contacted to advise that they fell within the terms of reference and to ask for an initial response.

Most of the responses are due on Friday.

“It’s expected a very large number of documents will be received and require analysis and review,” Mr Neal said.

Justice Coate said the findings of the inquiry were very important to the people of Victoria.

“To perform its task as set out in its terms of reference … I expect no less than full, frank and timely co-operation from all government departments, entities and persons to enable me to do my job for the people of Victoria,” Justice Coate said.

She said to keep everybody safe, evidence would be given by video link and only designated officers of the inquiry would be physically present.

Justice Coate was one of six royal commissioners appointed to lead the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and has served on the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, the Coroners Court of Victoria, the Federal Court and as president of the Children’s Court of Victoria.

A report on the findings of the inquiry are expected to be delivered to the Governor of Victoria by September 25.

Justice Coate adjourned the inquiry until August 6.

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