Public servants will be grilled by the inquiry investigating what went wrong with Melbourne's quarantine hotels. Photo / News Corp Australia
Public servants will be grilled by the inquiry investigating what went wrong with Melbourne's quarantine hotels. Photo / News Corp Australia
A security guard was removed from the Melbourne Crowne Plaza quarantine hotel after slipping a note under a guest's door that said "Hey hun, add me on SnapChat", an inquiry has heard.
The incident led top bureaucrats to contemplate ceasing to use private firm Wilson Security, according to an email chain tendered to the Melbourne hotel quarantine inquiry.
A guest received an "inappropriate" note under her door from a security guard that said words to the effect of "Hey hun, add me on SnapChat", an email detailing the complaint said.
"She looked up his name and looked up on Facebook and it's a security guard and wants to complain," the email said. "[REDACTED] is his name – he took her outside a few days ago for outside time … with 2 other guests … 2 other security guards."
"I will contact Wilson Security now to have this guard removed," wrote Paul Xerri, who was responsible for managing security contractors from April 1.
Another public servant noted in the email chain that it was "the second such incident this week and unacceptable".
"Paul as you would be aware – we have had significant issues with Wilson from day dot," Global Victoria chief executive officer Gönül Serbest wrote in a later reply.
Serbest asked if it was possible to stop using Wilson Security at the Pan Pacific Hotel, noting that the Crowne Plaza quarantine was due to end shortly.
Xerri replied that he would have to liaise with legal.
"In the meantime I notice that [REDACTED] at Wilson has written to advise that they are working to improve service delivery at Pan Pacific and will have senior management on site this weekend. Hopefully this helps in the interim," Xerri wrote.
Members of the ADF (Australian Defence Force) assist with Covid testing in Melbourne. Photo / Getty
COPS' SHOCK HOTEL ADMISSION
Victoria Police backed the plan for private security guards to man Melbourne's disastrous hotel quarantine program, an inquiry has heard.
Claire Febey, the executive director of the priority projects unit within the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR) gave evidence to the inquiry into Melbourne's quarantine hotels on Thursday.
Febey was heavily involved in the initial planning of the hotel quarantine program, which was set up in a hectic 48 hours before the first planeload of passengers arrived.
She said DJPR had contracted private security guards on the request of Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp, but she didn't know who had made that decision.
Contracting private security firms was presented as a "fait accompli" at a meeting at the State Control Centre on March 27, she said.
Her statement included a part transcript of the meeting, which read:
CRISP: I understand the preference of Victoria Police, or the Chief Commissioner, is that private security be the first line of security, and then police to response as required. Is that your understanding, Mick?
CRISP: So just curious as to who's going to take responsibility around contracting private security? Is that DJPR? Claire?
FEBEY: Yes. I understand that that's for us to take up. So I'd like to have a follow up conversation with Mick (Grainger, Victoria Police) and just understand a little bit more about how he sees that best working, and then we're happy to make sure that the right arrangements are made, both in hotels and also in exploring what the arrangements might be with the transport as well.
Febey could not recall a follow up conversation between her and Mr Grainger.
Under cross-examination from Joanna Davidson for Victoria Police, Ms Febey said she understood the conversation as a directive to engage private security from Victoria Police, who she viewed as the decision makers on enforcement matters.
Under cross-examination from Dr Kristine Hanscombe, acting for the Department of Justice and Community Safety, Febey said that she wasn't suggesting Crisp had made the decision to contract guards.
Claire Febey said that hours before the first return travellers were set to enter quarantine public servants still didn't have the legal detention directions. Photo / NewsCorp
'SYDNEY HAVE THE ARMY THERE'
Another email chain tendered to the inquiry reveals top bureaucrats at the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions were lobbying the Department of Health and Human Services for a 24/7 police presence at quarantine hotels.
"Sydney have the army there for Pete's sake," a senior public servant wrote in response to an incident on March 30.
It was the second day of the quarantine program when an agitated and upset man escaped from his room and evaded officers in a 3am quest for a cigarette.
He was intercepted by the night duty manager for Unified Security, and went back to his room.
Cameron Nolan, executive director of the priority projects unit at the DJPR, was notified of the breach via email.
After confirming the man had been stopped by a private security guard and not police, he wrote: "Great. We'll use this to bolster our case to DHHS that they should insist on a 24/7 police presence. Sydney have the army there for Pete's sake."
Public servants will be grilled by the inquiry investigating what went wrong with Melbourne's quarantine hotels. Photo / News Corp Australia
WOMAN BEHIND TONE-DEAF AD TO BE GRILLED
The boss behind a tone-deaf ad praising Melbourne's quarantine hotels is among the public servants who will be grilled today at an inquiry into the bungled scheme.
Gönül Serbest, the chief executive officer of government agency Global Victoria, appeared in an in-house video for the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions in which public servants praised the scheme.
The video, which was released on April 24 before the virus escaped from hotel quarantine into the community, was leaked to the Herald Sun.
In the video, Serbest said her workers should be proud of the scheme.
"It's been a really interesting and complex project, but something that I think we will look back and really think about as something that's been really rewarding, and the fact that we have been able to help slow the spread of coronavirus makes us feel really proud of the work we have been doing," she says.
Other staff from the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions to appear include executive director of the priority projects unit Claire Febey and executive director of employment delivery Katrina Currie.
The inquiry has previously heard the hotel program was set up in 48 hours and had a complex and confusing structure involving a number of departments.
In the past fortnight, inquiry chief Jennifer Coate has heard evidence from several guests who stayed at the hotels, as well as security guards.
Infectious disease experts testified last week that 99 per cent of current cases in Victoria could be traced back to the quarantine program.
