Accountability in a pandemic: Why aren't more people mad at Dan Andrews?
Daniel Andrews’ government had one main job, more or less. It was up to the Victorian community to manage social-distancing and self-isolation. But as soon as it became clear the vast majority of Australia’s coronavirus cases were coming from overseas arrivals, the need to create an inviolable hotel quarantine system was laid totally bare. That was on his government.
All states had to rush their quarantine set-up, and the process was messy, involving much human distress and some very bad hotel food.
It has become increasingly clear, despite Premier Andrews’ attempts to deflect questions, that his government bungled this in Victoria with the appointment of private security contractors to manage the hotel quarantine inmates.
Media reports this week said many of the guards couldn’t cope with the stress and hostility of the pent-up people. They lacked the professionalism and discipline the armed forces or the police brought to quarantine enforcement in other states.
No democratic government wants to restrict the liberty of its citizens and then police them, but that is where Victorians have ended up anyway.
...On Thursday he admitted he wasn't sure who was in charge of the bungled hotel quarantine process...
Jacqueline Maley, Columnist in the SMH dot com dot au /politics/federal/accountability-in-a-pandemic-why-aren-t-more-people-mad-at-dan-andrews-20200807-p55jnn.html
