Hotel quarantine under scrutiny after series of gaffs, two Victorians charged after breaches

A hotel quarantine breach will come under review after two Victorian women escaped from COVID-19 hotels – one in a taxi, another by scaling a building. LATEST >>

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THE state government is reviewing a hotel quarantine breach where a woman left a Hobart CBD hotel and travelled with her child in a taxi.

The woman, who had travelled from Victoria, has been fined $774 after the breach occurred at 6.20pm from the Ibis Hotel in Hobart.

They were returned to quarantine by police about 7.40pm.

Health Minister Sarah Courtney has appealed to anyone in hotel quarantine to do the right thing. Picture: Chris Kidd

In response to a question about how secure the quarantine hotels are, Health Minister Sarah Courtney said the matter was being investigated.

“We’re reviewing that matter to understand what has happened ... obviously it’s concerning when anyone escapes quarantine,’’ she said.

“It is important to recognise that from a quarantine perspective, these people are not in prison— they are in hotel quarantine — however they have very strong requirements about them.

“I know that we have seen thousands of people go through quarantine in Tasmania, and the vast majority have done the right thing.

“It’s difficult to understand the situation until we have further details that will come to light through the review that is underway.”

Ms Courtney said it was critical that everyone in hotel quarantine obeyed the rules.

“I ask people that come to Tasmania to do the right thing,’’ she said.

“We expect people if you come to our state, you will help be a part of keeping our state safe.”

A woman can be seen climbing down the roof from a hotel in Launceston.

Police on Wednesday reported another case where a 38-year-old woman from Victoria has charged following an incident in hotel quarantine on Sunday.

She was arrested and detained for court where she appeared in Launceston Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

The woman was directed to return to Victoria and left Tasmania on Tuesday — and is expected to appear in court in Launceston next month.

EARLIER: A 38-year-old Victorian woman has been charged with failing to obey a direction of an emergency management worker after an incident in Tasmania’s hotel quarantine on Valentine’s Day.

She was arrested and detained for court where she appeared in the Launceston Magistrates Court yesterday.

The woman was directed to return to Victoria and left Tasmania yesterday.

She is due to reappear in the Launceston Magistrates Court on March 30.

It comes as a video was shared on social media, appearing to show a woman climbing down an awning of a Launceston quarantine hotel.

In the footage, it appears the woman drops a small suitcase before dropping to the ground as onlookers commentating: “Nooo mate, you’re in a lockdown”.

It’s the second reported breach in Tasmania this week, after another woman who travelled from Victoria was fined $774 after breaching government hotel quarantine with her young child.

The breach occurred at 6.20pm Monday night from the Ibis Hotel in Hobart and they were returned to quarantine by police at 7.40pm.

Tasmania Police say they travelled in a taxi during the time that they were out of quarantine. Public Health contact tracers are working to establish any other movements and contacts.

“As an additional public health precaution the woman will be subject to testing and more frequent COVID-19 screening for symptoms to ensure the earliest possible identification of any disease,” Tasmania Police Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Higgins said.

“Appropriate contact tracing and quarantining of any further contacts will be immediately implemented if required.

“In Tasmania, domestic hotel quarantine is provided by private security firms – which has provided and continues to provide a high standard of security since the start of the pandemic.

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