Over the weekend I almost vomited when I watched Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews arrogantly boast about the state’s “best” hotel quarantine system, which he claimed was of a “higher standard” that other states:
“I am very confident we have a system that is worthy of being copied by others. It’s not about boasting, it’s a fact… If it were anything other than one of the best systems … then I doubt very much any first ministers across the country would have agreed to copy it.”
Being a Melburnian that was forced to endure 16 weeks of hard lockdown last year while other jurisdictions roamed freely, I found the premier’s arrogance and lack of contrition galling. And these feelings have only intensified today after learning that another two cases have leaked out of the state’s “best” hotel quarantine system – taking the total number of leakages to four over the past fortnight.
This time, a returned traveller that left the Holiday Inn on Sunday has tested positive to the virus. A food and beverage worker at the same hotel also tested positive yesterday afternoon.
These two new cases follow an authorised worker at the Holiday In that tested positive to the virus over the weekend (taking the total from this hotel to three). Last week, a worker supporting the quarantining of Australian Open players and officials also tested positive to the virus.
Melbourne takes significantly less international arrivals than Sydney. Thus, the fact that the majority of leaks have come out of Melbourne’s hotel quarantine suggests that this system is actually among the worst.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian summed the situation up nicely with the following statement on 2GB’s Ben Fordham show:
“(Mr Andrews) is pretty good at spin and I’ll leave it at that.”
“I think success is measured by how many people you’re able to bring in and how you can keep the community safe.
To be fair, Victoria is not alone when it comes to worst practice. As reported by ABC’s 7.30 Report earlier this week, Western Australia has been housing international arrivals in hotel quarantine alongside ordinary paying guests, which obviously raises the prospect of community transmission:
7.30 understands Levels 1 and 9 of the Hyatt Regency are available to the public, while levels 2 through to 8 are for returned travellers.
Members of the public are also welcome to book rooms at the Pan Pacific Perth, another quarantine hotel.
In a statement, a WA Health spokesperson confirmed two Perth quarantine hotels were open to the public, saying both had to “meet strict requirements” and ensure that “the hotel is clearly divided into two very separate areas”…
“This is probably one of the strangest decisions, that we’re allowed to have quarantiners and the general public in the same vicinity,” [returning traveller James Whitehouse] said.
“I thought the whole idea was that we were in isolation”…
“It seems very odd that we’re running the risks like that”…
Allowing ordinary guests to share the same facilities with quarantining guests is beyond ridiculous. Not only from a virus management perspective, but also because this capacity could be used to handle more returning Australians stuck abroad.
In any event, what these examples unequivocally show is that Australia’s hotel quarantine system is not ‘fit for purpose’ and all but guarantees further virus transmission into the community, further restrictions and disruptions, further border closures, and further economic harm.
Having robust quarantine is Australia’s number one defence against the virus. Our governments must stop cutting corners and get the system right.
