The Victorian Government says Australian Defence Force members will not be taking part in any security work or floor monitoring in the state's revamped hotel quarantine program, which will resume next week.
Key points:
- Victoria has scaled back its request for ADF members in its renewed hotel quarantine program
- The state says it's been told ADF members wouldn't perform security work or floor monitoring roles
- Returning travellers are expected to be asked $3k per adult and $1k for each additional adult in a hotel room
A Government spokesperson said more than 100 ADF members had started arriving in Melbourne on Friday and would be ready to start training on Saturday ahead of the resumption of international arrivals to Melbourne.
Victoria will start accepting international arrivals again on Monday after Premier Daniel Andrews asked for all international flights to be diverted from Melbourne on June 30 as the state's coronavirus second wave gathered pace.
The remainder of the ADF contingent was expected to arrive in Melbourne by Tuesday and would be inducted by Victoria Police throughout the week.
The Government said it had revised its Defence Force request and had now asked the Commonwealth to provide 172 ADF personnel to support the hotel quarantine program.
"The original request from Victoria has been scaled back after the ADF advised that they were not able to undertake any security type work or perform floor monitoring roles in the health hotels," a Government spokesperson said in a statement.
The statement said Victoria Police would instead play that security role in all quarantine hotels "which they are already trained, rostered and ready to do, as well as continuing to undertake floor monitoring in the health hotels".
The spokesperson said the ADF personnel would support police by helping residents on entry and exit, as well as registering staff movements and temperature-checking workers before their shifts.
Troops arrive for 'Operation COVID-19 Assist in Melbourne'
A Defence spokesperson said the ADF was working closely with the Victorian Government to determine how it could best support the hotel quarantine of international arrivals in Victoria.
"The members will not be authorised as law enforcement officers and will be working in support of Victoria Police at hotels across Melbourne," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said 75 members of Army's 3rd Brigade flew from Townsville to Melbourne late on Friday, and 35 members from RAAF East Sale had also been deployed on "Operation COVID-19 Assist in Melbourne".
The members were due to "undergo ADF task-specific and Victorian Government mandatory training this weekend," the spokesperson said.
Victoria's revamped hotel quarantine program follows failures in the earlier program where 90 per cent of the infections in the state's second wave could be traced back to a family of four who served their quarantine period at the Rydges on Swanston hotel.
The decision to use private security has been widely blamed for the virus escaping quarantine, causing Victoria's devastating coronavirus second wave.
An inquiry into the program was told it had failed to meet its primary objective, which was to keep the community safe from COVID-19.
Victoria announces quarantine fees up to $3k per adult
Meanwhile, overseas travellers arriving in Melbourne could be asked to pay thousands of dollars towards their quarantine costs under laws being introduced to Victoria's Parliament next week.
Fees will be set at $3,000 per adult, $1,000 for each additional adult in a room, and $500 for children aged between three and 18 years.
There will be no charge for children under three.
Children under 18 travelling alone will be charged a co-payment of $500, but a parent or guardian joining the child in quarantine will not be charged a fee.
The State Government said charging for hotel quarantine would bring Victoria into line with other states and territories.
"It also ensures that when international flights to Victoria resume, we do not get a disproportionate number of returned travellers seeking to complete their mandatory quarantine period here to avoid the fees in other states," Police Minister Lisa Neville said.
Fee reductions or waivers will be available to people experiencing financial hardship.
Payment plans will also be available to all residents.
The quarantine fees will kick in once the legislation is approved.
More information on Victoria's mandatory quarantine program, which will start up again when international arrivals resume next week, is available on the Government's website: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/mandatory-quarantine.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTEyLTA0L3ZpY3RvcmlhLXNjYWxlcy1iYWNrLXRyb29wLXJlcXVlc3QtZm9yLW5ldy1ob3RlbC1xdWFyYW50aW5lLXByb2cvMTI5NTI1MTLSASdodHRwczovL2FtcC5hYmMubmV0LmF1L2FydGljbGUvMTI5NTI1MTI?oc=5
2020-12-04 07:37:00Z
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