NT government rejects FOI request about foreign military personnel quarantined at Darwin hotel

The NT authorities has refused to launch paperwork about its controversial determination to quarantine tons of of international navy personnel at a Darwin CBD resort, arguing they might be “vulnerable to mischievous interpretation” and “result in distrust”.

In January, about 300 worldwide defence officers and their households got approval by the Chief Well being Officer to spend two weeks isolating at the Travelodge motel within the centre of the town.

The choice was heavily criticised by the NT department of the Australian Medical Affiliation and the Danila Dilba Aboriginal well being service.

On the time, the well being service stated it “boggles the thoughts” the group was not despatched to the “gold customary” Howard Springs facility the place nearly all worldwide arrivals serve their quarantine interval.

Three members of the cohort examined constructive to COVID-19 and have been relocated to Royal Darwin Hospital, whereas their shut contacts have been transferred to Howard Springs.

The ABC lodged a Freedom of Info request in January, looking for paperwork concerning the determination to approve the resort as a substitute quarantine web site.

However the NT Well being Division has refused the appliance in full. 

In its determination letter, it stated the paperwork — which embody dozens of pages of correspondence between senior officers — have been “introduced into existence” for a Cupboard sub-committee, making them exempt beneath the Info Act.

It additionally cited 5 different provisions of the act to argue why the discharge of the data, such because the opinions and suggestions of the officers, was “opposite to the general public curiosity”.

“The character of correspondence, being casual and primarily inside, signifies that it’s inherently vulnerable to mischievous interpretation,” it stated.

“This incorrect interpretation … carries the true danger of resulting in distrust within the division’s decision-making course of on a matter pertaining the general public well being, which is critically vital to neighborhood security.”

The division additionally stated releasing the data would offer a “one-sided” view and that disclosure of other concepts floated within the correspondence would “possible result in ill-informed debate” concerning the division’s ultimate determination.

It stated disclosure would additionally “dampen the candour” of officers concerned in future decision-making.

It additionally stated the seniority of those that created and thought of the data — together with the Chief Well being Officer, Deputy Chief Well being Officer, Police Commissioner, Deputy Police Commissioner, and executives within the Well being Division — was another excuse in opposition to disclosure.

The division’s rejection letter included the transcript of a dialogue between two unnamed officers, which confirmed at the very least one among them was anxious concerning the quarantine plan.

 “Relaxation assured your considerations have been considered as a part of these conversations and within the improvement of Defence’s complete COVID Administration Plan,” the unnamed official is quoted as telling the opposite. 

The Travelodge in Darwin’s CBD was not used once more for international navy personnel as soon as the cohort accomplished their quarantine interval. 

The primary tranche of greater than 2,000 US marines, which arrived in Darwin in February, quarantined at a Defence base within the High Finish, whereas later arrivals have been despatched to a former immigration detention centre south of Darwin, often known as Bladin Village, to isolate.

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