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It’s taken months, but @PeterDutton_MP and @ScottMorrisonMP have finally been caught out for their #RubyPrincess cover-up.
A recap of the shocking revelations from tonight’s @ABC730 report by @andrewprobyn
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-30/border-force-ruby-princess-coronavirus-test-bungle/12505072?section=politics
A recap of the shocking revelations from tonight’s @ABC730 report by @andrewprobyn
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-30/border-force-ruby-princess-coronavirus-test-bungle/12505072?section=politics
Until tonight, @PeterDutton_MP and @ScottMorrisonMP tried to pin their failures on @NSWHealth.
We now know that the Federal Government were ultimately at fault for the #RubyPrincess debacle – and that they’ve been ducking and weaving accountability ever since.
We now know that the Federal Government were ultimately at fault for the #RubyPrincess debacle – and that they’ve been ducking and weaving accountability ever since.
. @AusBorderForce & Agriculture Officers attended the #RubyPrincess when it arrived on the morning of 19 March.
Despite serious reports of illness onboard the boat, no one contacted @NSWHealth to confirm their health assessment. The Fed Govt now admits this wasn’t “preferable”
Despite serious reports of illness onboard the boat, no one contacted @NSWHealth to confirm their health assessment. The Fed Govt now admits this wasn’t “preferable”
When Federal Officers boarded the boat, they were told 11 passengers had been swabbed for COVID-19 & remained in isolation.
But the Agriculture Biosecurity Officer present failed to conduct the basic health screening tests they were required to do.
Why?
Too time-consuming.
But the Agriculture Biosecurity Officer present failed to conduct the basic health screening tests they were required to do.
Why?
Too time-consuming.
Although no ill passengers had been screened, when a #RubyPrincess crew member asked if passengers could disembark... what was the response from an @AusBorderForce officer?
“Yes”
“Yes”
Because of this "yes" from @AusBorderForce, passengers began disembarking around 6:30am- an hour before the boat got formal permission.
The form submitted by Ag to formally clear the boat falsely listed the number of ill patients & their symptoms onboard the boat as "gastro".
The form submitted by Ag to formally clear the boat falsely listed the number of ill patients & their symptoms onboard the boat as "gastro".
An hour later- and with the 11 suspected COVID-19 cases still onboard in isolation- an @AusBorderForce Officer was forwarded a pathology request form from the ship... but mistook it for a results form.
Tragically, negative flu tests were confused for negative COVID-19 tests.
Tragically, negative flu tests were confused for negative COVID-19 tests.
This shocking error was then communicated to senior @AusBorderForce Officers and the Ag Dept.
Still, the all clear had been given for passengers to get off the #RubyPrincess and walk straight out into Circular Quay.
Still, the all clear had been given for passengers to get off the #RubyPrincess and walk straight out into Circular Quay.
These are the MUST SEE emails from the next day.
@AusBorderForce officials realise the mistake that had been made- negative flu test results were confused for negative COVID-19 test results.
It was too late. COVID-19 was rampant on the boat & was now spreading across Australia.
@AusBorderForce officials realise the mistake that had been made- negative flu test results were confused for negative COVID-19 test results.
It was too late. COVID-19 was rampant on the boat & was now spreading across Australia.
We also know that @ScottMorrisonMP and his Government have blocked witnesses from appearing at the NSW Special Commission Inquiry into the #RubyPrincess.
The Morrison Government must make Federal officials available for questioning at the NSW Special Inquiry.
The Morrison Government must make Federal officials available for questioning at the NSW Special Inquiry.
On 15 March, @ScottMorrisonMP said “bespoke arrangements” to manage cruise ships would be “directly under the command of the @AusBorderForce”.
It’s now clear that the #RubyPrincess was a wholesale failure of our nation’s border security from the top-down. https://twitter.com/KKeneally/status/1257914839810244611
It’s now clear that the #RubyPrincess was a wholesale failure of our nation’s border security from the top-down. https://twitter.com/KKeneally/status/1257914839810244611
The @AusBorderForce realised their grave mistakes on the 20 March.
The Morrison Government needs to come clean- what did they know and when did they know it?
@ScottMorrisonMP needs to apologise for failing to stop the one boat that mattered.
The Morrison Government needs to come clean- what did they know and when did they know it?
@ScottMorrisonMP needs to apologise for failing to stop the one boat that mattered.
. @ScottMorrisonMP needs to apologise to the hundreds of Australians who contracted COVID-19 because of the #RubyPrincess – as well as the family members of the Australians who have tragically lost their lives. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-15/man-whose-wife-died-from-coronavirus-wants-answers-ruby-princess/12147988
. @ScottMorrisonMP needs to apologise to the frontline officers from @AusBorderForce and Ag who because he did nothing to provide these hard working Australians with the resources, training or funding to deal with the risks of cruise ships, like the #RubyPrincess.
All these Australians deserve an apology from @ScottMorrisonMP because on 19 March the #RubyPrincess arrived in Sydney, and 2700 passengers were allowed to freely leave the boat by Fed Govt officials… and spread COVID-19 across Australia. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/30/ruby-princess-passengers-let-off-ship-after-border-force-officer-confused-flu-and-coronavirus-test-results
