Asked on Monday why no personnel would be on the border checkpoints, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: That s not something the Defence Force is doing any longer.
Speaking on Wednesday morning from a police base camp at Cann River, where about 100 tents have been pitched, Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent acknowledged the logistical operation was significant.
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The border was closed for part of the year by NSW authorities and Mr Nugent said police were working to mirror the checkpoint locations they used. This is quite different, from our perspective, because this is the first time Victoria Police has actually closed the borders, he said.
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About 100 Victoria Police officers are settling in to spend Christmas in small, individual tents in a field outside the border town of Cann River as the Australian Defence Force insists it has more important priorities than patrolling state borders.
Lieutenant-General John Frewen, head of the ADF s COVID-19 taskforce, told
The Age and
The Sydney Morning Herald the military s priority list, worked out with the federal government in September, put high-risk weather events, returned Australians in hotel quarantine, counter-terrorism and support to Pacific nations above enforcing state border closures.
Victoria Police Acting Senior Sergeant Colin Shepherd who was deployed from the Bass Coast sits in his tent at Cann River on Wednesday.
Jenny Mikakos said Daniel Andrews is using political deflection amid hotel saga
Final report into the doomed hotel quarantine scheme was tabled in Parliament
Inquiry had heard no one knows who made the call to use private security guards
Ms Mikakos said Mr Andrews should take responsibility for the bungled program
Mr Andrews on Monday said that he would not resign as the Premier of Victoria
Final report into the doomed hotel quarantine scheme tabled in Parliament
Premier Daniel Andrews ought have been able to say who made decision
Inquiry heard cop Graham Ashton likely came up with the idea to go private
Calls for a full blown royal commission into the scandal are well underway
Inquiry had heard not a single minister, staffer or cop knows who made the call
Mr Andrews on Monday said he would not resign as premier of Victoria
Health department continues to make embarrassing errors on basic text service