Ministers, bureaucrats undeserving of senior posts

The pontificating of Daniel Andrews’ apparatchiks must not prevent the truth being revealed and George Sclauzero and Bram Tiernan (Letters, 25/9) are correct to suggest Victoria’s “board of inquiry” into the quarantine fiasco should ask the guards dismissed for bad behaviour: “Who informed you you were being sacked?”

This would be the first person identified by the inquiry to have had clear authority, responsibility and accountability. Then ask that person who they received their orders from. Soon, the trail should lead to whoever authorised the paymaster; and ultimately the culprit who authorised and approved this disaster.

The Labor politicians and favoured bureaucrats dissembling and prevaricating are demonstrably unfit and undeserving of their senior posts. Retired justice Jennifer Coate must be perplexed that nobody in government is willing to admit liability or fault and her final report will surely discuss the credibility and reliability of senior witnesses.

Greg Jones, Kogarah, NSW

As a Victorian, I am astonished by the performance of ministers and secretaries at the hotel quarantine inquiry. Every day since the debacle began, we have heard the Premier urge Victorians to do “the right thing”. As responsible citizens, we have, by and large, done “the right thing” by wearing masks, social distancing, obeying the curfew and so on.

Our Premier and his ministers are elected to serve the people under our system of representative democracy. There is a mutual obligation here; citizens obey the laws and members of Parliament, and ministers especially, must carry out their responsibilities with diligence, knowledge and integrity. It seems none of these has been carried out in Victoria. We have seen instead poor memories, obfuscations and general incompetence.

The ministers and secretaries who have faced the inquiry must resign.

Beverley Hoxley, Wonga Park, Vic

I have just watched the Premier’s news conference prior to his appearance before the inquiry. It was a master class in evasion, dodging, side-stepping and taking the Fifth Amendment. The people of Victoria deserve better from our government. A cover-up is always messier than just telling the truth.

Jock Orkin, Mt Waverley, Vic

After hundreds of deaths and the destruction of countless businesses, senior bureaucrats and Victorian ministers don’t remember who authorised the primary cause: the employment of untrained hotel security guards (“As usual, the buck doesn’t stop here”, 25/3). It is obvious the culprit(s) have breached their legal obligation of “duty of care”. There is a serious price to pay by the guilty person(s) for the failure to observe this fundamental legal requirement. Make it happen soon.

Ian Cooke, Alstonville, NSW

Tim Smith’s biting article “We will never forget” (25/9) on the almost farcical machinations of the Victorian hotel quarantine inquiry brings to mind Sir Humphrey’s alarmed response to Jim Hacker’s suggestion of an official inquiry: “A basic rule of government, minister, is never set up an inquiry unless you know in advance what its findings will be.” It would appear the pre-planned inquiry strategy was to deny everything, blame anyone except yourself and plead ignorance wherever possible.

Peter Waterhouse, Craigieburn, Vic

Tim Smith’s excellent commentary sums up the sentiment of thoughtful Australians to this unmitigated failure of leadership in Victoria. He says, “There is no honour in these people and the person who leads them.” A brilliant summation.

Lynda Morrison, Bicton, WA

If none of Daniel Andrews’ cabinet knew anything about the decision to hire private security firms for the hotel quarantine work, why didn’t any one of them, including the Premier, try to find out in the weeks leading up to the inquiry, where they knew they would be questioned about it?

Andrew L. Urban, Dee Why, NSW