Advertisement Federal Defence Minister Peter Dutton has shot down a Victorian plan to build a Commonwealth-funded quarantine facility in Melbourneâs north, just a day after it was announced by acting Premier James Merlino. Mr Merlino said on Thursday morning that the state would set aside $15 million to design and plan a 500-bed quarantine facility to house international arrivals on federal land in Mickleham. Defence Minister Peter Dutton. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen But the federal government was kept in the dark about Victoriaâs plans for its purpose-built quarantine facility. The business case was sent to the federal government at 9.42am on Thursday, minutes before Mr Merlino fronted the media to announce the plan, which is entirely contingent on $200 million of Commonwealth funding.