‘Not a private deal’: State accused of breaching own rules in Wellcamp ‘cover up’

The state government has been accused of breaching its own confidentiality guidelines in failing to reveal the cost of its controversial Wellcamp quarantine facility.

The state government has been accused of breaching its own confidentiality guidelines in failing to reveal the cost of its Wellcamp quarantine facility.

Palaszczuk Government ministers have repeatedly declined to reveal the cost of building a 1000-bed quarantine camp at the Wagner’s Wellcamp facility, insisting the deal was struck on “commercial in confidence” grounds.

The Opposition says the refusal to disclose the price to taxpayers breaches its own policy relating to the “use and disclosure of confidentiality provisions in government contracts”.

It notes four criteria should be met before a supplier’s request to keep a deal confidential is met and notes confidential elements of a contract should not preclude the total deal from being disclosed.

“Just because a contract contains confidential information, it does not mean that a contract cannot be disclosed,” it said.

“If a bespoke confidentiality agreement has been created to protect the suppliers proposed unit cost, it does not prevent the agency from disclosing the total estimated value of the contract.”

The Wellcamp quarantine hub. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Opposition Integrity spokeswoman Fiona Simpson said the government should release the details and cost of the facility, declaring it was public money and “not a private deal”.

“The state government is in breach of their own rules by covering up Wellcamp secret deal,” she said.

“The controversy over the State Government’s secret deal for the Wellcamp quarantine facility can’t be swept under the carpet.

“When Queenslanders are being asked to put a lot of trust in the state government during a time of Covid distress, then the state government should put their trust in the people by giving them the information about this special deal.”

DeputyPremier Steven Miles, however, said the document was only a “general guide” to assist government buyers in the procurement process.

“Procurement procedures and guides are not pertinent to all contracts across government – including the joint agreement between the Queensland Government and Wagner Corporation,” he said.

“These types of contracts are always commercial in confidence.

“The joint agreement at Wellcamp has enabled us to deliver an urgently needed fit-for-purpose quarantine facility as quickly as possible to continue to keep Queenslanders safe.”

Originally published as ‘Not a private deal’: State accused of breaching own rules in Wellcamp ‘cover up’