Agriculture Minister orders fresh Ruby Princess probe

Agriculture Minister asks inspector general to investigate whether his department acted properly during the Ruby Princess debacle.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has asked his inspector general to investigate whether his department acted properly during the Ruby Princess debacle, but maintained NSW Health was ultimately responsible.

A special commission led by barrister Brett Walker SC has found the NSW government’s health expert panel was ultimately to blame for letting COVID-19 infected passengers off the ill-fated cruise ship.

But questions remain over the role of Federal Agriculture Department agents, and particularly claims they they were responsible for a “Travellers with Illness” check list.

Mr Littleproud said he would pursue anything that emerges about his department’s role in the Ruby Princess, but reiterated NSW Health were the ones who advised biosecurity to clear the ship.

“I’m very sympathetic to the 28 families that have lost loved ones out of this. And the Australian Government is sorry for any loss of life during this COVID-1,” Mr Littleproud told ABC News.

“But we are working off the Walker inquiry that quite clearly, in its recommendations and its findings, found quite clearly that it was the failure of NSW Health expert panel that caused this. That they were in charge of human health.

.@David_Speers asks @D_LittleproudMP whether he will apologise for his department's role in the Ruby Princess debacle.

"We are working off the Walker inquiry that quite clearly ... found that it was the failure of NSW Health expert panel that caused this." pic.twitter.com/9YZqxfYbC6

— Insiders ABC (@InsidersABC) August 22, 2020

“And that if there is anything that comes forward - let me make this clear - I will be pursuing it vigorously. And in fact, I have asked the Inspector-General of Biosecurity to overview this process ... And the department secretary looks very, very closely at the department and anything else that may be gleaned out of this.

“This is something we should learn but we should not be prosecuting people or individuals or departments that have done no wrong and have not been found to do any wrong at this point in time, but I’m still open.”