On August 18, 282 new cases of Covid were detected in Victoria, and 25 deaths were reported. Video / 10 News
The Victorian Premier and his former Health Minister would re-appear before the state's hotel quarantine inquiry to give new evidence if the Shadow Attorney-General gets his way.
Edward O'Donohue has written a letter to the inquiry chair, Jennifer Coate, demanding Daniel Andrews and Jenny Mikakos are given a chance to straighten out perceived inconsistencies in their evidence.
Andrews and Mikakos gave evidence to the inquiry last week before the evidentiary phase wrapped up.
Large crowds of people are seen standing in line to enter a supermarket in South Melbourne. Photo / Getty Images
The Premier told the inquiry Mikakos was responsible for the programme that saw Covid-19 escape from hotel quarantine and effectively spark a second wave.
Mikakos resigned the day after Andrews' testimony. In a statement on social media, she said she "never wanted to leave a job unfinished".
"But in light of the Premier's statement to the board of inquiry and the fact that there are elements in it that I strongly disagree with, I believe that I cannot continue to serve in this Cabinet," she said.
In his letter to Coate, O'Donohue said the inquiry should hear more from both parties after several government departments submitted documents to the inquiry after all witnesses had given evidence.
"The Government's late submission … following the conclusion of scheduled witness hearings, is disrespectful to the inquiry, is inexplicable given the resources at the Government's disposal and compromises the inquiry's work,'' O'Donohue wrote.
The Herald Sun reports it is unlikely the inquiry would reopen to witnesses after closing that particular phase.
The inquiry is yet to deliver its findings into Victoria's disastrous hotel quarantine programme.
On Friday, counsel assisting the inquiry Ben Ilhe said the inquiry could "comfortably find that the hotel quarantine programme in Victoria failed to achieve its primary objective" to contain Covid-19.
He said hotels had become "a feeding ground for the spread of Covid-19 into the community".
"The failure by the hotel quarantine programme to contain this virus is today responsible for the deaths of 768 people, and the infection of some 18,490," Ihle said.
Victoria recorded 13 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday and four more deaths. The death toll has climbed to 798.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews attends a news conference in Melbourne, Australia. Photo / AP
It comes as Victorians re-emerge from harsh lockdown rules and a curfew, which had been in place for months, was revoked.
New rules replace the curfew, including a $4957 fine for people who gather indoors or outdoors in breach of the five-person rule.
Five people from two households can gather together but restrictions preventing Melburnians travelling 5km from their home remain in place until at least October 19.
