‘Not sure what they do’: Police Minister’s response to ADF suggestion

Text messages have revealed Lisa Neville’s scathing reaction to the proposal that ADF troops could be used at Melbourne’s quarantine hotels.

Victoria’s botched quarantine program was set up with the key goal of propping up the state’s crippled hotel industry.

Previously secret cabinet-in-confidence documents show the program had three objectives, including preventing the spread of coronavirus and meeting the state’s obligations under the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.

But the other key objective listed in documents prepared for a meeting of the crisis council of cabinet on April 24, was “support the economy, the sustainability of Victoria’s tourism accommodation sector and retain jobs … through the utilisation of commercial accommodation providers’’.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews with Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp and Minister for Police Lisa Neville. Picture: AAP

Premier Daniel Andrews boasted at his first press conference about the scheme on March 27 the program was “re-purposing people who have perhaps had their hours cut or in fact lost their job to do coronavirus work”.

“This is not just about an appropriate health response,” he said.

The inquiry, before retired judge Jennifer Coate, is probing whether the program was run with too strong a focus on logistics and accommodation, and an inadequate focus on public health.

Mr Andrews suspended the program on June 30 after he said he received a full genomic report showing the devastating consequences of the leaks out of quarantine.

A text exchange between Lisa Neville and Andrew Crisp.

Breaches in hotel quarantine meant security guards at two hotels were infected with coronavirus, before it was spread across Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs.

The inquiry has heard 99 per cent of Victoria’s second wave can be linked backed to the botched program.

Documents tabled to the inquiry show senior levels of government were warned of problems, largely involving poorly trained subcontracted security guards who were failing to use PPE properly.

On May 27, Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp messaged Police Minister Lisa Neville, saying: “We have a 2nd confirmed case (security guard) from the Rydges Hotel (returned travellers hotel) a lot of work happening to map and implement contact tracing.”

The state control centre and joint intelligence unit were “actively involved in this with outbreak team’’.

Ms Neville replied: “OK — concerning — let me know how going.’’

Lisa Neville's exchange with Andrew Crisp.

In another exchange between Mr Crisp and Ms Neville on June 25 — after outbreaks at the hotels were well known — the Police Minister coldly responded to the proposal to have the army at hotels.

“Not sure what they do at hotels given no one leaves!!! And they have no powers,” she wrote.

A June 27 document notes that “incidents of noncompliance with infection prevention and control and physical distancing requirements, particularly from security subcontractors, have resulted in outbreaks in hotel quarantine”.

But the same document notes hotel quarantine for returning international travellers had “been demonstrated to be an effective mechanism for preventing and managing COVID-19 in Victoria’’.

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Originally published as ‘Not sure what they do’: Police Minister’s response to ADF suggestion