Former health minister dumps on Andrews

Former health minister Jenny Mikakos has alleged that a lack of cabinet consultation contributed to Victoria’s hotel quarantine disaster.

In a final submission filed to inquiry into the botched program, Ms Mikakos reveals that Daniel Andrews’ cabinet did not discuss the scheme until April 8, even though it commenced on March 28.

She says that this was the “root cause” of confusion over accountability, decision-making, and the failure to identify certain weaknesses in the program.

“The Hotel Quarantine Program was a critical program which in ordinary circumstances would have come before the Cabinet for its endorsement, following the preparation of a Cabinet submission, and after consultation with relevant agencies and departments,” the submission says.

Alternatively, it should have at least come before the Security and Emergency Management Committee of Cabinet, the submission suggests.

“The failure to follow ordinary Cabinet-led decision-making processes is the cause of the differing views which have been given by witnesses as to who had overall responsibility and accountability for the Hotel Quarantine Program,” it says.

“It may also be a cause of the obscurity as to the identity of the decisionmaker for important elements of the Hotel Quarantine Program (such as the decision to engage private security as a first-tier response to enforcement).

“Had the Hotel Quarantine Program been the product of a Cabinet or Cabinet Committee decision, these issues would not have arisen. More importantly, such a process would have enabled differing views and potential risks and weaknesses with the program to be identified and addressed prior to its establishment.”