Quarantine focus on lack of action by ministers

THE hands-off role played by ministers during the establishment of Victoria’s coronavirus hotel quarantines looms as a key part of an inquiry into the botched scheme.

A committee of the state’s top bureaucrats, as well as senior advisers from the Premier’s and Treasurer’s offices, met just hours after national cabinet signed off on the landmark policy — and had only 36 hours to source accommodation venues, healthcare workers and security and other staff.

Insiders say the committee structure and decision-making may explain why ministers have so far shirked responsibility for the scheme once it fell to pieces months later.

The bungled strategy was blamed for the spread of coronavirus during Victoria’s second wave, amid allegations of illegal cash payments to security guards, undertrained workers and even sex with guests.

The Missions Co-ordination Committee — which steers the Andrews government’s response to the economic, health and social impacts of the COVID-19 crisis — met on March 27 and moved quickly to ensure returned travellers were isolated for 14 days.

It includes all department secretaries and Department of Premier and Cabinet deputy secretaries, and it is chaired by

DPC secretary Chris Eccles. Health Minister Jenny Mikakos, Jobs Minister Martin Pakula and Police and Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville have all passed the buck over what happened in the ill-fated scheme. A source said this was because no one was really “in charge” and work was left to bureaucrats.