Federal agriculture officials did not speak to the doctor on board the Ruby Princess cruise ship before passengers disembarked in Sydney.
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment secretary Andrew Metcalfe admitted to a Senate inquiry on Tuesday that protocols weren’t followed on the ship.
The vessel has been linked to 28 coronavirus deaths and hundreds of cases, with a NSW inquiry into its Sydney disembarkment laying most of the blame on state health authorities.
But Mr Metcalfe says the process for completing a traveller illness checklist was not followed by federal agriculture officials.
“I now understand that the local application of the protocols at the Port of Sydney, in relation to cruise ships, was for my officers not to administer TICs but to consult with medical officers on the ships to get notified of any health issues,” he said.
“I am advised that on this particular occasion our officer only relied on the NSW medical assessment.”
Mr Metcalfe stressed his department’s main focus was on plant and animal biosecurity risks but said it had a role in the human biosecurity framework.
It remains unclear who gave oral advice for passengers to disembark about 6.30am on March 19, about an hour before Agriculture spoke to NSW Health.
Australian Border Force was absolved of any part in the debacle through the NSW inquiry.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has apologised over the saga and promised to implement all recommendations from the inquiry.
Social Services Minister Anne Ruston will also appear before the Senate inquiry along with officials from departments she is responsible for.
Defence officials will also face questioning.
No ‘one size fits all’ aged-care response
Meanwhile, health advisers are working on a set of aged care principles to go to national cabinet on Friday, which will guide the way states and territories set up their own nursing home rapid response teams.
“There won’t be a one-size-fits-all aged care response centre for every state,” Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth told reporters.
In Victoria, 222 new virus infections were recorded on Tuesday, its lowest number of daily detections in a month. The state recorded another 17 deaths in the previous 24 hours, taking the national toll to 438.
On the issue of cause, the ACTU has gone in to bat for the Melbourne security guards being vilified for Victoria’s bungled hotel quarantine system.
ACTU secretary Sally McManus said employers were to blame for not providing the training they needed.
Elsewhere, Sydney bus drivers are threatening to strike unless masks are made compulsory for passengers on crowded services and social distancing is strictly enforced.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also asked state premiers to find urgent solutions for people denied access to healthcare, work and school due to closed borders.
But Queensland warns its borders could remain sealed for several months or until its coronavirus infections have fallen to zero.
-AAP
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