Andrews government’s hotel quarantine inquiry legal bill soars to $12.3 million

The Andrews government splashed more than $12 million on legal fees during the hotel quarantine inquiry — more than double the cost of the inquiry itself.

The Liberal Nationals have reignited calls for a royal commission into the state government’s pandemic response amid the deadly second wave.

It comes after revelations from The Australian that the Andrews Labor government spent at least $12.3 million on legal fees during the hotel quarantine inquiry.

That figure was more than double the cost of the inquiry itself.

Opposition leader Michael O’Brien on Tuesday said that spending was an “indictment on this government”.

“They have not been honest. They’ve not been straight with Victorians,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition, Michael O'Brien. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Wayne Taylor.

“We know there were 801 Victorian deaths. We know that Victorians were locked up for 16 weeks. We know that thousands of people lost jobs and hundreds of small businesses closed, and this government spent $12 million dollars of taxpayers money on lawyers to stop the truth from coming out.

“It’s not good enough. It’s why I and the Liberal Nationals have committed to a Royal Commission into what really went on with Victoria’s COVID response.

“We were the worst state in the country. We’ve suffered more than any other state in the country.

“The Coate inquiry didn’t find the answers, the government and the Premier and the ministers didn’t tell the truth, so we need a Royal Commission to get to the bottom of it, and only a Liberal Nationals government will deliver that.”

Daniel Andrews giving evidence before the Hotel Quarantine Inquiry last September.

Shadow police spokesman David Southwick dubbed the hotel quarantine program, which led to the catastrophic second wave, as the “worst public policy failure in Victoria’s history”.

Mr Southwick said the hefty legal fees, understood to be split across at least five government departments, was a matter of ministers seeking to “protect themselves against one another and avoid accountability”.

“Victorians deserve better than a government that only cares about covering its tracks, protecting its own and leaving ordinary Victorians to pick up the tab,” he said.

“The Coate Inquiry was set up to fail and Victorians deserve a clear answer to the question of who ordered the use of private security in hotel quarantine.

“With more than twice as much funding given to lawyers defending the government than an inquiry to get to the truth, it’s clear Daniel Andrews will do anything to cover up his involvement in the worst public policy failure in Victorian history.”

A state government spokesman said departments were entitled to legal representation before the Board of Inquiry.

“The departments’ insurance cover applied to costs incurred during the inquiry process,” the spokesman said.

Originally published as Andrews government’s hotel quarantine inquiry legal bill soars to $12.3 million