Coronavirus Australia: Victoria’s top public servant Chris Eccles says he doesn’t know who decided to use private security

Victoria’s top public servant says he’s not aware of why private security decision was made.

Rydges on Swanston was used in Victoria’s hotel quarantine program. Picture: Getty Images

Victoria’s top public servant says he’s not aware of how private ­security became the “frontier of enforcement” at hotel quarantine, despite his department briefing Daniel Andrews and overseeing the establishment of the program.

Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Chris Eccles, who can take home up to $700,000 a year as a public service executive, repeatedly told the hotel quarantine inquiry on Monday he did not know or could not recall key details of the fiasco.

This is despite emails, texts, meeting minutes and Crisis Council of Cabinet briefings shown to the quarantine inquiry that either directly referenced him, a member of his staff or his department. When counsel assisting the hotel quarantine inquiry Rachel Ellyard asked how private security became the “frontier of enforcement” at the hotel quarantine program, Mr Eccles said: “I’m not aware.”

When Ms Ellyard asked Mr Eccles if there was a risk that no one understood they were ­responsible for the program’s failures, he replied: “Yes, that’s a very fair point.”

In an email sent at 3.53pm on March 27, the Victorian Premier’s office sought to clarify with the Department of Premier and ­Cabinet what role the ADF would play in the hotel quarantine program.

“Can you please send through an update on the enforcement measures when that’s known this arvo/tonight,” the staffer, whose name was redacted, wrote. “What role will the ADF play?”

Mr Andrews said private ­security and the ADF would be involved when he announced the quarantine program at a 3pm press conference on March 27.

When asked about the press conference, Mr Eccles said: “I’m not able to help.”

As low case numbers brought hope to the state after a long winter in lockdown, Victorians remained in the dark on who should be held accountable for the origins of the state‘s coronavirus second wave.

In text messages sent by Graham Ashton to Mr Eccles at 1.16pm on March 27, the former Victoria Police chief commissioner asked what role police would play in the hotel ­quarantine program. “The suggestion is that Victorian arrivals are conveyed to a hotel … somewhere where they are guarded by police for 14 days. Are you aware of anything in this regards?” said Mr Ashton.

Mr Eccles did not respond to the text but conceded it was more likely that he asked someone in his office to reply to Mr Ashton.

Department of Premier and Cabinet Secretary Chris Eccles gives evidence at the hotel quarantine on Monday. Picture: Supplied

In a text sent by DPC deputy secretary Kate Houghton to Emergency Management Vic­toria Commissioner Andrew Crisp at 2.04pm on March 27, she said: “Just wanted to update post ­national cabinet on use of ADF.”

He replied: “Thanks — I think my minister has some idea of ADF role and that’s what we’re discussing with Graham Ashton at the moment.”

A few hours after the texts, both Mr Ashton and Mr Eccles appeared at a meeting between department secretaries to discuss the establishment of the hotel quarantine program.

In notes of the meeting shown to the inquiry, Mr Ashton said: “Challenge will be static presence over a long period of time — will end up with some private security contractor or else the ADF ­ideally.”

Mr Eccles responded: “I ­assume a private contractor.”

Under a section labelled “Questions?”, Mr Ashton is noted as saying: “ADF will be assisting in the spot-checking process from what the PM and the Premier confirmed.”

The inquiry has previously heard Mr Ashton said he thought using private security was a “deal set up” by the DPC in a March 27 text to Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw.

On Monday, Mr Eccles was presented with an April 8 email in which he was ­offered ADF support with the hotel quarantine program by his commonwealth counterpart Phil Gaetjens.

He told the inquiry he had called Mr Gaetjens to ask if there was federal money available to pay for private security guards, and denied the offer of troops was made to replace security guards.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: Wayne Taylor

“It could equally just be an ­addition without being at the ­expense of private security,” he said.

Mr Eccles said he didn’t recall forwarding the correspondence with Mr Gaetjens to anyone, which he said was backed up by his email records.

When Ms Ellyard asked him why he hadn’t thought to bring the offer of ADF support to the ­attention of those running the hotel quarantine program, he ­replied: “I’m not saying that I didn’t.”

“I’m saying that I’m not aware that I did or I didn’t.”

On June 24, Victoria’s crisis council, which is chaired by the Premier, was told security guards had been linked to coronavirus outbreaks despite “robust operational procedures” at the hotel quarantine program.

On July 23, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton first spoke of the link between security guards at hotel quarantine and the rising number of coronavirus cases in the state.

In a May 23 briefing to the council, the Department of Jobs Regions and Precinct identified $11.3 million in possible saving from the program, which included reducing the number of security guards.

As well as Mr Andrews, the crisis council is attended by Health Minister Jenny Mikakos, Police Minister Lisa Neville and Jobs Minister Martin Pakula.

All are due to appear before the hotel quarantine inquiry this week.