Defence Force repeatedly offered to help Victoria with hotel quarantine: Minister
The Australian Defence Force repeatedly offered to assist Victoria establish and maintain quarantine arrangements for returned travellers but was told by the Andrews government its help was not needed, Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has revealed.
The statement by Senator Reynolds appeared to contradict Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ testimony to a parliamentary inquiry into Victoria’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic given earlier on Tuesday.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews appears before the public accounts and estimates committee on Tuesday.Credit:Screen grab
Mr Andrews told a hearing of the public accounts and estimates committee on Tuesday morning that the ADF did not offer any support to Victoria’s hotel quarantine regime.
"I don’t believe ADF support was on offer," he said.
"It's been provided in limited circumstances in NSW, not to provide security as such but to provide transportation from the airport to hotels.
"I think it is fundamentally incorrect to assert that there were hundreds of ADF staff on offer and somehow, someone said no."
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
In her statement released on Tuesday afternoon, Senator Reynolds revealed that ADF support was offered on multiple occasions and either refused or not taken up by Victoria.
"Following the Prime Minister’s offer on March 27, 2020 for ADF support to states and territories with the new mandatory 14-day quarantine period for international arrivals, the ADF discussed requirements with relevant state and territory authorities," Senator Reynolds said.
"On March 28, 2020, Victorian authorities advised that Victoria was not seeking ADF assistance with mandatory quarantine arrangements. The ADF was consistently advised that its assistance was not required for any 'public-facing roles' in Victoria.
"ADF officials asked whether Victorian authorities required assistance with its mandatory quarantine system on multiple occasions. No request for quarantine support was subsequently received from Victoria at that time."
It was not until June 24 that the ADF received a request from Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner, Andrew Crisp, for 850 personnel to provide "compliance and monitoring support" at quarantine hotels.
This request was approved by the ADF but rescinded by the Andrews government the next day.
Senator Reynolds said the ADF helped with compliance at quarantine hotels in Queensland and NSW.