Premier Jacinta Allan’s department was in VCAT yesterday to answer for its decision to refuse access to key documents surrounding hotel quarantine decisions, including emails that it claims should not be released to the Victorian community.
These secret documents – documents 15, 16 and 17 – are emails created on 11 July 2020 and 12 July 2020.
The Freedom of Information request, initially submitted on 19 January 2021 by David Davis on behalf of the Liberals and Nationals, is a parallel request made to the Office of the Premier on the same day. It sought emails and text messages between the Premier, the Premier’s Chief of Staff and the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
These three documents relate to the period in July 2020 when the second wave of COVID-19 was exploding across Victoria after it had escaped from the botched hotel quarantine program run by the Andrews Labor Government.
Member for Southern Metropolitan Region, David Davis, said: “The Victorian community is entitled to know who made catastrophically flawed decisions that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Victorians, these documents should be released in full for the Victorian community and grieving families to see.
“How can it be in the public interest to cover up these decisions and the documents, including emails, surrounding them? The government witnesses claim the documents are sensitive and their release would inhibit frank and candid advice.
“The government also absurdly claims that the release of these advice documents would likely lead to confusion and ill-informed debate and is contrary to the public interest.
“Whether you agreed with hotel quarantine or not, the Victorian community are entitled to know the truth behind the decision making, particularly during the period when the second wave of COVID cut a swathe through so many Victorians.
“The public interest is served by transparency, openness and honesty. Only those with something to hide would seek to prevent the identification of those responsible and their advice over now more than three years.”
Although the proceeding was Zoomed live but we could not get through.
We are waiting for an update from the office of Mr. David Davis.
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