Jenny Mikakos said Daniel Andrews is using political deflection amid hotel saga
Final report into the doomed hotel quarantine scheme was tabled in Parliament
Inquiry had heard no one knows who made the call to use private security guards
Ms Mikakos said Mr Andrews should take responsibility for the bungled program
Mr Andrews on Monday said that he would not resign as the Premier of Victoria
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Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he intends to adopt all recommendations of a scathing final report into the state s hotel quarantine program that identified flaws with almost every aspect of his government’s setup and oversight of the scheme.
The ill-fated decision to employ private security guards for the program aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus into the community was not able to be traced back to any minister or bureaucrat in the state government despite the inquiry reviewing more than 70,000 documents, retired judge Jennifer Coate has found.
In her final report, tabled in Parliament today, Ms Coate found that the decision to use private security guards, without adequate training in infection control, was an orphan that neither Mr Andrews nor any of his ministers took any responsibility for.
Final report into the doomed hotel quarantine scheme tabled in Parliament
Premier Daniel Andrews ought have been able to say who made decision
Inquiry heard cop Graham Ashton likely came up with the idea to go private
Calls for a full blown royal commission into the scandal are well underway
Inquiry had heard not a single minister, staffer or cop knows who made the call
Mr Andrews on Monday said he would not resign as premier of Victoria
Health department continues to make embarrassing errors on basic text service
The report has been unable to clarify the “ownership” of the decision to use private security.
“The evidence was that the use of private security did not raise any particular concerns during the weekend setup of the Program or produce any considered discussion about how the enforcement model should work.”
The report criticises the Andrews Government for failing to do “proper analysis” of the plan and makes damming assessments of departmental heads, many now resigned because of the poor handing of the second wave.
The inquiry underscores the absence of responsibility over critical decisions. It recognises that what normally “would take months to organise” had to be done in 36hrs due to the nature of the pandemic.
Victoria set to release long-awaited hotel quarantine bungle report sbs.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sbs.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.