Governments warned against private aircrew drivers

NSW government was warned four months ago about unvaccinated and unmasked drivers transporting international air crew.

Sydney International Airport. Picture: Getty Images.

The Berejiklian government was warned four months ago about the “gaping hole in Australia’s biosecurity system” that saw unvaccinated and unmasked drivers transport international air crew to hotel quarantine, but rejected the advice.

The case that sparked NSW’s latest Covid-19 outbreak – an air crew driver sources say is employed by Sydney company Legion Limousines – has revealed lax protocols surrounding the transportation of airline workers.

The driver had not been vaccinated and was not undergoing daily testing or wearing an N95 mask.

The Australian understands the NSW Health Department knocked back a request from Transport for NSW to tighten the rules for private vehicles driving international air crew.

In February, the NSW Transport Workers Union observed a taxi waiting at the marshalling bay at Sydney Airport ready to take air crew to their destination.

Public transport, ride-share vehicles and taxis are not permitted to transport international arrivals, according to orders from the state Health Department.

“The cab was sitting alongside the marshalling area designated specifically for cars to pick up flight crews,” TWU state secretary Richard Olsen said. “We passed this on to Transport for NSW, who told us they would take the matter further. Our understanding is that they took it to health and the federal government to tighten up the regulations.”

But when a Transport for NSW senior official went to NSW Health to tighten the protocol the request was rejected on the grounds that “the airlines were in charge”, another source told The Australian.

International airlines are required to organise “appropriate transportation” to take crew to their destination – be it a government quarantine facility for foreign nationals, or, for NSW residents, their homes for self-isolation.

“Appropriate transportation” could include an air crew member’s private vehicle, or a hire car with a professional driver.

NSW Health refused to respond to questions regarding the incident, while Transport for NSW simply said: “Transport for NSW continues to work closely with NSW Police and NSW Health as part of the hotel quarantine operation.”

Meanwhile, the chair of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Jane Halton claimed the federal government had ignored her pleas to update the rules.

“When I did my review of hotel quarantine last year and, to be fair, international crew were not part of the remit, I actually drew people’s attention when I debriefed them on this particular issue,” she said.

“I actually said that this was a potential hole and people needed to be very, very aware that these people and their transport arrangements had to be a high priority.”

In question time on Tuesday, opposition health spokesman Mark Butler lambasted the federal government for not responding to Ms Halton’s request. “Why did the Prime Minister ignore that advice and does he now take any responsibility for the Sydney outbreak?”

Scott Morrison accused Mr Butler of trying to “politicise the terrible outbreak in Sydney”.

This is the second time a privately employed driver transporting airline workers has tested positive for the virus, after a Sydney Ground Transport employee contracted it in December.

NSW police have been investigating the new unvaccinated driver for the past nine days.

Fines may be issued to both the driver and limousine company for not following health orders, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said on Thursday.

Ms Berejiklian said she was “upset and frustrated” by the situation but would wait until the police had completed their investigation before updating protocols.