Exclusive: Leaked emails reveal government knew of problems on day one of hotel quarantine
"We request that Victoria Police is present 24/7 at each hotel starting from this evening. We ask that DHHS urgently make that request as the control agency," the email read.
The state’s Chief Health Officer said on Monday it was "conceivable" that all the active COVID-19 cases in Victoria stemmed from Melbourne’s problem quarantine hotel program. DHHS declined to answer questions about whether it requested the support of Victoria Police and whether its departmental officials escalated the concerns to Health Minister Jenny Mikakos. Victoria Police was contacted for comment but did not respond before deadline.
On the same day, the Premier labelled the quarantine breaches "unacceptable". "It’s why there have been changes into the way hotel quarantine operates," Mr Andrews said.reported earlier this month that at least five agencies were involved in the decision to deploy private security guards, instead of soldiers or police, at quarantine hotels: Health; Jobs; Premier and Cabinet; Emergency Management Victoria; and Victoria Police.
The Jobs Department, led by minister Martin Pakula, was responsible for procuring contracts with hotels and security firms, and purchasing services, items and food for returned travellers.
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