The question of who gave the green light to use private security for Victoria’s bungled quarantine hotel program has continued to elude an inquiry into the state’s virus response.
Wednesday’s parliamentary inquiry heard the decision to contract private security at the hotels, rather than the Australian Defence Force, was made at a 4.30pm meeting at the state control centre on March 27.
It came amid a war of words between Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and federal Defence Minister Linda Reynolds over whether ADF personnel were offered to assist with hotel quarantine.
When grilled about the use of private security in the bungled hotel quarantine scheme yesterday, Mr Andrews told the inquiry he did not believe “ADF support was on offer”. That was rebuffed hours later by Ms Reynolds, who said ADF support was offered and refused or ignored by Victorian authorities on multiple occasions.
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Victoria’s emergency management commissioner Andrew Crisp, who was at the March 27 meeting, has since backed Mr Andrews’ claims.
Jobs, Precincts and Regions Minister Martin Pakula, whose department’s role in the hotel quarantine program was revealed in a video leaked to media yesterday, and department secretary Simon Phemister faced questions at the inquiry today.
Mr Phemister confirmed his department was responsible for procuring private security contractors but not responsible for the decision to use private security.
“The decision to use private security came from the 4.30 meeting on the 27th. We were directed through that meeting and indeed we volunteered to run the procurement for private security after that meeting,” Mr Phemister said.
When put to Mr Phemister that no one from his department denied the offer of ADF support, he said: “I can confirm that is true”.
Mr Pakula said his department’s advice to the state government was that police officers, not just private security guards, should provide 24/7 security at the hotels.
The role of the Jobs, Precincts and Regions department was called into question after a video emerged yesterday showing government agency Global Victoria boasting about its success in setting up the hotel quarantine program.
Mr Pakula told the inquiry today his department was not involved in organising or co-ordinating security or matters of infection control at hotels.
“The Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions had a role in the hotel quarantine program, but it did not have operational command of the program and it was not responsible for infection control,” he said.
“There has been some efforts from some quarters to create that impression, and I have seen reportage in the last couple of days to that effect but it’s not correct.”
Mr Pakula said his department was responsible for logistics, booking rooms, and the provision of meals and laundry, and matters relating to infection control and mental health were referred to Department of Health and Human Services.
“If your point is that it would not be sensible for people from Global Victoria to be responsible for things like infection control, I agree, it would not,” he told the inquiry.
Committee member Liberal MP Bridget Vallence asked Mr Pakula which Minister was ultimately responsible for hotel quarantine.
“Ms Vallence, I’m not going to engage with what can only be described as a gotcha-type question,” Mr Pakula replied.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMirQFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS90cmF2ZWwvdHJhdmVsLXVwZGF0ZXMvaGVhbHRoLXNhZmV0eS9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy1ob3RlbC1xdWFyYW50aW5lLWlucXVpcnktd2FzLWFkZi1jYWxsZWQtaW4tdG8taGVscC1vci1ub3QvbmV3cy1zdG9yeS8wNTYyZTQ4MjdhMjA0ZWNkZjZjNGU5NDRjMzYyZjUwMdIBrQFodHRwczovL2FtcC5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS90cmF2ZWwvdHJhdmVsLXVwZGF0ZXMvaGVhbHRoLXNhZmV0eS9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy1ob3RlbC1xdWFyYW50aW5lLWlucXVpcnktd2FzLWFkZi1jYWxsZWQtaW4tdG8taGVscC1vci1ub3QvbmV3cy1zdG9yeS8wNTYyZTQ4MjdhMjA0ZWNkZjZjNGU5NDRjMzYyZjUwMQ?oc=5
2020-08-12 09:16:50Z
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