Hotel quarantine inquiry calls extraordinary sitting for October 20

An inquiry into Victoria’s bungled hotel quarantine program finished hearing from witnesses nearly three weeks ago, but the board has made a shock announcement.

The inquiry probing Victoria’s botched hotel quarantine program has reopened, almost three weeks after it received closing submissions.

The Board of Inquiry announced on Friday afternoon it would hold an extraordinary sitting next week on Tuesday at 2pm, with further details “to be announced”.

The Board of Inquiry will hold an extraordinary sitting at 2pm on Tuesday 20 October. Further details to be announced.#COVID19Aus

— COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Inquiry (@HotelInquiryVIC) October 16, 2020

There have been a number of key developments since the inquiry’s last hearing on September 25 when Premier Daniel Andrews gave evidence.

Former health minister Jenny Mikakos turned on the Premier after he appeared, saying his decision to “subvert” usual cabinet process caused the hotel quarantine disaster.

In the ousted minister’s final statement handed to the Board of Inquiry, Ms Mikakos said: “The haste with which this program was established saw the usual cabinet processes subverted with the Premier.”

Former health Minister Jenny Mikakos urged the Board of Inquiry to treat the Premier’s evidence with caution.

Mr Andrews and his senior staff have also since handed over his phone records from the day the state’s hotel quarantine scheme was announced, following a request from the inquiry.

Chris Eccles, the Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, resigned effective immediately on Monday morning over his bombshell phone records.

They revealed he had spoken to former Victoria Police chief commissioner Graham Ashton for two minutes during a crucial six-minute window being probed by the inquiry.