2020-08-15
The Australian Greens have today called for a federal inquiry into the Ruby Princess, to allow federal biosecurity officials to testify on the failed immigration and biosecurity processes leading to the disaster.
The offloading of 2700 passengers, many of whom were suspected of carrying the virus, was a pivotal moment in Australia's handling of the crisis. At one point one in 10 of Australia's infections was linked to the vessel, and the role of federal officials in permitting passengers to leave the vessel has been harshly criticised - yet the Federal Government repeatedly refused to allow federal biosecurity officials from testifying before a state inquiry in NSW.
In an interview on Radio National yesterday, Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud declined to rule out a further inquiry, saying that we first needed to see the final report from the Brett Walker Inquiry held in NSW.
Following the release of that report, the Greens say there is cause for a further investigation at a federal level.
"If the Federal Government wants to block federal biosecurity officials from being called before state inquiries, then they leave us with no choice. We need a federal inquiry into the Ruby Princess debacle," Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP said.
"Scott Morrison has repeatedly blocked federal officials from testifying from the state based inquiry. This may be the only way to get federal officials to face questioning on the Morrison government's role through this crisis.
"This inquiry must be robust and focus upon the testimony of biosecurity officials from the Department of Agriculture who were prevented from testifying at the Walker inquiry. Given that much has already been revealed by the Special Commission of Inquiry, this shouldn't be a long or painful process.
"We already know this was a disaster, so what are they trying to hide? Of all the mistakes made through this pandemic, the Ruby Princess debacle stands as the biggest screw-up of them all.
"In the crucial early days of the pandemic, thousands of potentially infectious people were allowed into Australia's biggest city without adequate health checks. Within hours, hundreds of close contacts were travelling across our country and the world, with little done to stop them from further spreading the virus.
"The NSW inquiry has revealed many major failings about the government's response - of officials mistaking negative influenza tests as a sign passengers were COVID free, an inability to communicate details about passengers with airlines, and a failure to recognise the severity of what had occurred.
"This isn't about apportioning blame. It's about learning from our mistakes. There is so much we need to learn about how the government stuffed this up. As much as we can hope to never need these lessons again, we must learn them all the same."