After increasing pressure on the Victorian government and its Minister of Health, Jenny Mikakos, Due to the failure of the state’s hotel quarantine program, Mikakos resigned Saturday morning.
Jenny Mikakus MP #StayHomeSaveLives
(JennyMikakos)My media statement has been attached. #Najran pic.twitter.com/h0Quxyed2P
This comes after a six-week investigation into the state’s hotel quarantine program for returning international travelers, with the failure of infection control in the program, ultimately triggering the second wave of Victoria. Much of the state is now subject to strict lockdown restrictions, and borders to other Australian states remain closed or severely restricted.
Most other states and territories have chosen to use a police officer or the Australian Defense Force [ADF] From the staff to implement the hotel’s quarantine program, Victoria employed private security contractors who were not well trained in infection control, the investigation had previously heard. The Prime Minister and Minister of Health came under pressure to explain why the ADF and the police had not been used.
As a reporter for Guardian Australia Josh Taylor Books on Friday.
On his long-awaited appearance at the hotel’s quarantine investigation, Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews said he considers his health minister, Jenny Mikakos, “to be in charge of the program.”
The prime minister’s written statement submitted to the investigation committee on Friday said Mikakos and Jobs Minister Martin Bakula were responsible for informing the cabinet of the program, and the couple submitted a report on the model program to the Cabinet Crisis Board on April 8.
Customs Cooperation Council [crisis council of cabinet] Minister Mikakos has been provided with regular reports containing data relevant to Victoria’s response to the public health emergency, key insights from the data, in addition to other updates, including in relation to the program,
The prime minister declined to say who was behind the decision to use private security guards, but that claim likely put Andrews at odds with Health Minister Jenny Mikakos.
The health secretary’s remarks in the investigation said Thursday that she was not aware of the use of security guards in the program until the outbreak at the Rydges Hotel in late May.
Mikacus issued a statement of the investigation after the release of Andrews’ note, in which it denied that it misled the investigation.
The Prime Minister told the investigation that it was “extremely disappointing” that the decision regarding the private security guards was taken by a “group” of officials, without anyone being held responsible.
“I am disappointed that my integrity has sought to be undermined,” Mikakos wrote in her resignation letter to the prime minister on Saturday.
“I have written today to the Victorian Governor for the resignation of my Commissions as Minister in effect today.”
Mikakos also plans to resign from Parliament.
