Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles joins push for Victorian regional quarantine facility

The bold plan to set up a new quarantine facility to stop the virus from leaking out of hotels is gaining ground in Victoria.

A plan to use Avalon Airport to quarantine international arrivals should be considered by the federal government, deputy Labor leader Richard Marles said.

The airport near Geelong is owned by trucking billionaire Lindsay Fox, who is in talks with the commonwealth, and Victorian governments to house up to 1000 returned travellers.

Under the proposal, a temporary town of cabins would be established within walking distance of the arrivals gate, with people allowed to go outside for air.

The pitch comes as the state recorded two new cases of coronavirus overnight, taking the total Holiday Inn cluster to 19 cases.

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Avalon Airport is one of two options for a new quarantine facility. Picture: Alison Wynd

Mr Marles said Mr Fox’s plan for Avalon Airport, which is in the Labor MP’s electorate of Corio, was “worth a lot of thought”.

“There would be an ability to isolate people directly off a plane and going into a facility,” Mr Marles told ABC RN.

“I hope this is an idea that is given due consideration by the federal government.”

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the government would construct a purpose-built quarantine centre to replace inner city hotels.

Mr Andrews said two locations included Avalon Airport and Melbourne Airport.

“A delegation of senior officials will to travel to the Northern Territory as soon as is practicable to see first-hand how the Howard Springs facility is set up,” he said.

“I think we do have to have a proper conversation at a national cabinet level about what we can do, what further can we do to reduce the risk, particularly in light of this UK strain.”

Richard Marles says the government needs to get on with the job of giving people vaccines. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has again urged the public to listen to the medical advice ahead of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine rolling out next week.

The first shipment of doses arrived via a Singapore Airlines flight at Sydney International Airport on Monday.

“We have the best medical experts in the world,” Mr Morrison said.

“They are the ones who are making decisions about what is safe to take and whether it will be effective.”

Deputy chief medical officer Michael Kidd told ABC Breakfast that the pandemic was not over until “every person on the planet” had been offered a vaccine.

“We have seven billion people who will need to be vaccinated,” Professor Kidd said.

“Until that time, we are looking at some of the restrictions still being in place.”