Pakula says he was unaware of concerns about 'cowboy' security for hotel quarantine
Jobs Minister Martin Pakula says he didn't become aware of the concerns his departmental staff had about the hotel quarantine program until after an inquiry into it was established.
Mr Pakula's departmental staff, who were given the task of finding private security firms for hotel quarantine, were wary on day one of the crisis of dealing with a 'cowboy industry', saying they didn't want 'rogue guards' prowling the corridors of hotels.
Jobs Minister Martin Pakula gives evidence to the hotel quarantine inquiry on Wednesday.
Mr Pakula said he has since found out about concerns around whether or not police should have had a presence at the hotels and whether returned travellers detained in their rooms should have been allowed outside for some fresh air.
"I became aware sometime after the establishment of this inquiry that there had been certain representations made by my department to other agencies about various aspects of the program, and some of those concerns I believe have been the subject of evidence to this inquiry by officials of my department," he told the Hotel Quarantine Inquiry on Wednesday.
Counsel assisting the inquiry today, Rachel Ellyard, asked Mr Pakula whether he ought to have been made aware of problems earlier.
"Not especially," Mr Pakula replied.
He said there was a process through which concerns could be "fed up through that process".
The $3 million inquiry, led by former judge Jennifer Coate, is investigating how virus outbreaks among staff and private security guards at two Melbourne quarantine hotels – the Rydges on Swanston and Stamford Plaza – seeded Victoria's catastrophic second coronavirus wave.
Mr Pakula has said that to the best of his recollection, he first learnt about the hotel quarantine program on the afternoon of March 27 in a phone call from Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions Secretary Simon Phemister.
National Cabinet made the decision to quarantine international arrivals to Australia that day and it was announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Premier Daniel Andrews.
The Minister said he understood from his phone call with Mr Phemister that his department would be in charge of the hotel quarantine program.
Mr Pakula said it followed the work the department had done in what was called the Hotels for Heroes program, which was providing accommodation for frontline health workers who could not isolate at home.
However, control quickly shifted to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Mr Pakula said Mr Phemister "was a bit put out" by the change, but other than that, he said he didn't have a reason to be concerned.
Mr Pakula is being represented today by not one, but three lawyers, including David Collins, QC.
Police and Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville is also due to appear today and has legal representation from top silk Sue McNicol, QC.
More to come
Tammy Mills is the legal affairs reporter for The Age.