Dan Andrews dodges hotel quarantine questions after WorkSafe charges

A prickly Victorian Premier has ducked a series of pointed questions about the state’s bungled hotel quarantine program.

A prickly Victorian Premier has dodged pointed questions over the state’s hotel quarantine fiasco, after the workplace safety watchdog laid dozens of charges over the bungled program.

The Department of Health is facing millions of dollars in fines over 58 alleged breaches, including 17 counts of failing to provide a safe workplace.

The charges related to the state government’s hotel quarantine program, which was set up early last year.

Daniel Andrews pushed back against journalists pursuing the matter on Thursday, saying it was before the courts.

“I’m not in a position, not today, not any day to be commenting on matters that are before the courts,” Mr Andrews said.

“I will not, I will not be going into the details or canvassing issues that are currently on foot, live and being dealt with.”

Flaws in the system had distatrous effects for Victoria in 2020. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Wayne Taylor

A public inquiry into the hotel quarantine program found proper risk assessments were not undertaken, which paved the way for disastrous mistakes in infection control.

Flaws in the system were found to have contributed significantly to Victoria’s second wave, which resulted in more than 700 deaths.

Inquiry boss Jennifer Coate said there had been a lack of leadership, describing the scheme as “a catastrophe waiting to happen.”

The Department of Health was responsible for the oversight and co-ordination of the program.

An outbreak at the Rydges on Swanston hotel contributed significantly to Victoria’s second wave. Photo: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Worksafe has alleged the department breached Occupational Health and Safety laws by failing to appoint people with infection prevention and control expertise to be stationed at the hotels.

It also alleged the department failed to provide security guards with face-to-face infection prevention control training by a person with appropriate expertise prior to them starting work.

Written instructions for the use of PPE were “either failed or initially failed” to be provided to workers.

WorkSafe also questioned whether the department failed to update written instructions on the use of face masks at several of the hotels.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the government was working to deliver the inquiry’s recommendations. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

When asked why taxpayers should have to foot the bill for the mistakes of individuals within the health department, Mr Andrews said he would answer questions following the court process.

He said the government had been working to deliver all the recommendations from the inquiry.

“You’re wanting me to assume that there’ll be fines of guilt, that there will be penalties issued – let it run its course and we’ll talk about it when it’s finished,” he said.

“Let’s deal with that when and if it happens, the government is not exempt from sanctions, that’s an obvious thing.”

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Originally published as Dan Andrews dodges hotel quarantine questions after WorkSafe charges