Disembarking Ruby Princess passengers not told to socially distance, inquiry told
Passengers were not compelled to socially distance as they disembarked the Ruby Princess despite federal government guidelines to do being in place four days before the ship's arrival in Sydney.
The special commission of inquiry into the cruise ship's March 18 arrival in Sydney on Monday heard that passengers were not ordered to stay the government-mandated 1.5 metres away from each other as they left the boat in groups of 100 every five or 10 minutes.
The Ruby Princess cruise ship, which was the source of hundreds of Australia's coronavirus cases, leaves Port Kembla last month.Credit:Janie Barrett
"I don't recall it being a requirement at the time," Carnival's director of portside operations Paul Mifsud told a special commission of inquiry into the ship's arrival into Sydney.
Kylie Nomchong, SC, questioning Mr Mifsud on behalf of the International Transport Workers Union, said the 1.5 metre rule had already come into effect by the time the ship docked.
Asked if any special processes had been put into place, Mr Mifsud said, "I don't recall anything specific."
Despite passengers with flu-like and respiratory symptoms aboard, all 2700 guests were allowed to disembark in Sydney on March 19, hours before test results showed coronavirus was present among passengers.
The Ruby Princess, which was the source of hundreds of Australia's coronavirus cases, departs Port Kembla with its remaining crew members on April 23.Credit:Janie Barrett
Mr Mifsud's morning of testimony was the last that the inquiry, headed by commissioner Bret Walker, SC, will hear until it returns at an as-yet undecided date.
The ship's final health log lodged before it docked in Sydney was out of date and did not include all passengers with COVID19 symptoms, the inquiry heard last month.
In the maritime arrival report, the ship's doctor Ilse Von Watzdorf said there were 24 people with a temperature over 38 degrees.
It was only after passengers had disembarked on March 19 that an updated log was provided to NSW Health, the commission heard.
The ship left Port Kembla with 1000 crew members on board on April 23.
Last week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison labelled some of Mr Walker's questioning "aggressive", after a senior NSW Health official broke down in tears.
In response, Mr Walker said, "There may have been created an unfortunate misunderstanding that the Prime Minister intended to make representations, submissions or suggestions to me about the conduct of this independent inquiry.
"I can make it clear that I couldn’t possibly take seriously that the Prime Minister intended to do that," Mr Walker said.
"I think it is clear that nothing in the reported comments could seriously be regarded as intended to make suggestions as to how I conduct this inquiry. Most certainly I have not taken it that way."