While millions of Victorians endured the state’s fourth lockdown during winter last year, a team of Covid Quarantine Victoria workers, responsible for managing hotel quarantine, thumbed their noses at the rules to throw a farewell party for a colleague.“There were drinks, and there was cake,” one source familiar with the event told the Herald Sun.The event on June 4 last year, held in a CQV office a week after Victoria entered lockdown on May 28, prompted investigations by the agency and Victoria Police.The Herald Sun confirmed the party was attended by a small team of colleagues, with a manager endorsing and encouraging the illegal after-work get-together, which had echoes of the British Partygate scandal that contributed to the fall of British Prime Minister Boris Johnston.All those present were stood down and interviewed by police for possible breaches of chief health officer directions.Ultimately, no fines were issued and the matter was referred back to CQV.An internal CQV investigation found most of those in attendance did not stay longer than about an hour after their shift.At least two of the guests kicked on until late in the evening; one employee was subsequently booted from the agency.The other attendees were cautioned but kept their jobs.Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier slammed the bureaucratic disregard of the rules.“While schools and businesses closed and families forcibly separated, Daniel Andrews’ bureaucrats partied and ate cake,” she said.“Daniel Andrews’ hotel quarantine fiasco resulted in deaths, while government staff partied.”Before the creation of CQV to manage the state’s quarantine system, Victoria’s hotel quarantine program was blamed for facilitating the state’s second wave of coronavirus.It led to more than 18,000 new infections and 800 deaths which were traced back to security guards working at the Rydges on Swanston and Stamford Plaza hotels in May and June 2020.A CQV spokesman said the agency imposed the strictest possible infection prevention and control and other safety measures on its staff.“CQV was advised of a social gathering involving a small number of staff who remained onsite at a back-office location in June of last year,” he said.“This office site was never used as a quarantine facility. The matter was referred to police and those in attendance were stood down, investigated and counselled.“Where it was appropriate, findings of misconduct were made and appropriate action taken.”
Powered by WPeMatico
