Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured above) has announced that no private security guards will be employed under the state’s new-look hotel quarantine program when international travellers begin arriving at Melbourne Airport next week after a five-month halt on arrivals.
Revealing the revamped scheme yesterday, Mr Andrews said a new agency – COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria (CQV) – will be established to oversee the program with frontline staff to work in ‘bubbles’ to ensure they don’t have contact with a large number of other staff during their shifts.
Private security will be barred from the new program.
“There are no private security engaged, only Victoria Police performing those roles as well as ADF,” the Premier said.
“No moonlighting, no second jobs, no subcontracting of a subcontract because there are no subcontracts, it is all direct and obvious and clear.”
The use of private security guards was a key issue in the inquiry into Victoria’s hotel quarantine program which led to over 760 deaths – mainly among aged care residents – and around 18,000 COVID infections.
Instead, 300 police officers and 220 ADF personnel will be working in the 11 hotels on a daily basis, with testing of staff every day and their family members offered a test every week.
Critically, if staff were found to live with another worker in a high-risk industry, they will be provided with an alternative place to live during “shift periods”.
“In any of our new recruitment going forward we will be looking at ways in which we ensure that that we don’t have people who are employed who live with someone from aged care,” Police Minister Lisa Neville said.
The final report into Victoria’s hotel quarantine scheme is due on 21 December.
