The Liberal Nationals are calling on Daniel Andrews to prioritise community safety and put a doctor with infectious disease expertise in charge of hotel quarantine immediately.
Just days after the Premier described Victoria’s hotel quarantine system as the “gold standard”, basic and dangerous errors continue to occur, including:
- a member of the public being able to enter and move through a quarantine facility without being told to sign in, isolate or take a test
- confirmation that staff and guests within hotel quarantine facilities are failing to follow healthcare infection control standards
- a man confirming he was approved multiple times to use a nebuliser – despite government claims he was informed this device was not allowed
- a staff member not wearing a mask whilst working at the Intercontinental on Collins.
These incidents follow calls today from Professor Lindsay Grayson, one of Australia’s leading infectious diseases experts, to close Victoria’s quarantine program for a second time “until proven safe.” Professor Grayson has stated there have been no breaches in facilities that have been run by hospitals, versus what we’ve seen at the Holiday Inn.
Why is the Andrews Labor Government not listening to experts or the Coate Inquiry? Reports today have revealed workers and doctors in nine of Victoria’s quarantine hotels – including the Holiday Inn – have been moving between hotels and offices, in breach of inquiry recommendations.
Four out of ten recommendations that were made by the Coate Inquiry have been ignored by the Andrews Labor Government.
Confirmation that the government is now seeking to build a dedicated quarantine facility is the latest admission of failure by Daniel Andrews.
Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Police & Community Safety, David Southwick:
“Whilst every other state has effectively managed hotel quarantine, Daniel Andrews continues to make basic errors and put the safety of the community at risk.
“Daniel Andrews go-it-alone approach caused Victoria’s catastrophic second wave, yet the Premier still refuses to learn from other states.
“Every Victorian is paying the price for Andrews’ cover-ups, lies and arrogance.”
Comments attributable Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier:
“Why is it that NSW and others can manage hotel quarantine programs, yet Daniel Andrews repeatedly fails in Victoria?
“It’s now clear that the issue with Victoria’s quarantine program isn’t location, but the disastrous management of the Andrews Labor Government.
“Daniel Andrews loves bureaucrats to be in charge of health programs, but it makes scientific sense to have quarantine facilities to be run by a doctor with infectious disease expertise.”
