'They've made this pandemic into a profit-making scheme': Explosive claims of security guard forced to sign a gagging order to work in Victoria's quarantine hotels – after receiving just FIVE minutes of training
- Security guard claims he was given just five minutes of training to work at hotel
- Officials confirmed clusters began after spreading from some of the hotels
- An inquiry will begin into the shortcomings of the Victorian quarantine system
- 310,000 residents across 36 suburbs are now back in lockdown in Victoria
- Explosive claims also allege some security guards had sex with isolated guests
A security guard at a quarantine hotel claims he was given just five minutes of safety training from a car park manager, with the bungled programme linked to the latest coronavirus outbreak in Melbourne.
Breaking a controversial gagging order to speak out about the fiasco, the unnamed guard said private companies were cutting corners and trying to maximise profit.
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews has been scrambling to contain a COVID-19 outbreak after the state experienced an alarming spike in coronavirus cases.
A 'handful' of breaches among staff at the hotels may have contributed to the outbreaks, amid claims guards had sex with people in isolation.
The security guard claims there were major issues within the system, including lack of training and companies treating it like a 'money making exercise'.
He even claimed to have been given just five minutes of training - which was given by the head of the company's car park management - before he began work.
Staff inside the Stamford Hotel in Melbourne are seen moving luggage for guests in quarantine on June 25. There is now an inquiry into the hotel quarantine process within Victoria. It is not suggested staff at the hotel were involved in any wrongdoing, only that its processes will be investigated as part of the inquiry
The Stamford Hotel in Melbourne is one of the locations returned travellers have been staying (pictured, staff are seen with protective gear on June 25)
The state recorded 73 new cases on Wednesday, 20 of which have no identified source, the highest daily number of community transmissions since the beginning of the crisis.
There have now been 301 cases of community transmission in the state.
The whistle-blowing guard, who has been working in hotel quarantine for three months, cannot be named as he claims he was forced to sign a contract preventing him from talking to media.
He claimed the security companies were putting profit ahead of safety.
Guards had to sign documents saying they had completed infection training and understood the protocols, but many have called it a 'box ticking exercise'.
He said there were three guards working on one floor but that was cutback a week ago to just one guard.
'It's horrendous,' he told 9news. 'It's a money making exercise.'
Kazim Shah (pictured), a former security guard who is now union representative, claimed security companies hired subcontractors with little experience to work as guards
A security guard at a quarantine hotel has broken his gagging order to speak out about the lack of training he received before being sent to monitor returned travellers (pictured, the Stamford Hotel where several infected travellers stayed)
Kazim Shah, a former security guard who is now a union representative, claimed security companies hired subcontractors with little experience to work as guards inside the hotels.
He said they would then pay the subcontractors a cheaper rate, which is how they would make their money.
'What is happening is the companies have made this pandemic into a profit-making scheme,' he added.
Mr Shah also claimed there was a shortage of personal protective equipment for security staff, which he said was adding to the problem.
Guards were given one mask and one pair of gloves for the entire day, he said.
This map shows the suburbs which will be subject to stay-at-home orders from Wednesday at 11.59pm after a spike in coronavirus cases
A health worker performs a COVID-19 test at Melbourne Showgrounds on June 29 (pictured) as widespread testing continues across the city - with many cases linked to quarantine hotels
A spokesman for the Victorian government said all security guards, including those who were subcontractors, were bound by the standards in their agreement.
'All staff were required to undertake regular infection training,' he said.
The new allegations come after others claimed some security guards who employed to monitor returned travellers were having sex with the guests.
The allegations have been heard among police and government circles, as well as within the hotel industry, the Herald Sun reported.
Other allegations include security firms engaging in 'ghosting' - a practice which involves inflating the amount of guards listed on duty to charge the government and taxpayer more for their services.
People have swab samples taken during testing for COVID-19 in a suburban park in Melbourne (pictured on Wednesday)
A medical professional ready for a day of coronavirus testing on July 1 in Brunswick West (pictured)
Victoria is battling a second wave of coronavirus infections in Melbourne's outer-suburbs, with a particular uptick in locally acquired cases
Operators charged the government for a certain number of staff even though there were less working, even giving fake names for the non-existent employees, the paper reported.
Mr Andrews has launched an inquiry into the matter.
Since March 29, some 20,000 returned overseas travellers have spent a fortnight quarantined in hotel rooms in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Authorities first realised coronavirus was spreading via staff at the hotels after conducting genomic testing - which tracks the markings of different strains of the virus - revealed there were commonalities among multiple hotel contacts.
Victorians are seen getting tested for the coronavirus on Wednesday (pictured) in Melbourne, hours ahead of the mandatory lockdowns in ten postcodes
Health officials believe the virus was likely contracted at the hotel quarantine locations and then spread among security guards' friends and family.
Mr Andrews said DNA tests showed a number of cases could be linked to 'staff members in hotel quarantine breaching well-known and well-understood infection control protocols'.
Officials said the breaches were linked to a significant number of cases in late May and early June.
There are also concerns that some staff regularly worked shifts at different hotels, as well as private work outside of the quarantine hotel contract.
'That left me in no doubt that if not right now, but certainly back weeks and weeks ago, there was a significant infection control problem,' Mr Andrews said.
Australian Defence Force personnel assist with a COVID-19 testing at Melbourne Showgrounds on June 29 (pictured)
Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured on Wednesday) revealed 928 residents across two Melbourne suburbs identified as hotspots had refused tests for the virus
'That is unacceptable to me. I'm sure that will be unacceptable certainly to all of those who will be impacted by the restrictions that we have had to reimpose.'
The genomic testing report will not be released to the public as it contains sensitive health details about the people involved.
So far, the verified breaches of infection control among staff at the hotels include car pooling to and from work, sharing cigarettes and lighters, hugging and handshakes.
Mr Andrews previously said he believed staff sharing a cigarette lighter had contributed to the widespread outbreak.
On Sunday, the premier said staff at the hotel had followed correct protocols relating to social distancing, but had unwittingly spread the virus after sharing a lighter.
A woman is seen standing by her car as she contemplates the two hour wait to get tested at the Fawkner Mobile Testing Site as 36 Melbourne suburbs go back into strict lockdown in Victoria during COVID 19 (pictured on Wednesday)
'[They were] keeping their distance but sharing a lighter between each other,' he said.
'An innocent thing that can lead to transmitting the virus.'
The three security companies which oversaw the hotel quarantine process were all private firms.
The trio were handed the contracts without a formal tender process because the government was desperate to rush the decision through national cabinet.
The decision was in contrast to New South Wales' process, which engaged police to man hotels, while Queensland used a combination of health staff, defence force personnel and police.
The hotel program will restart under the supervision of Corrections Victoria.
Comments 0
Share what you think
No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.
