PLANS to establish a Mildura-based quarantine hub to house international workers have hit a political impasse, Member for Mallee Anne Webster says.
The new Agricultural Workers Visa, which aims to ease critical worker shortages, will be implemented from late this month, but arrangements to quarantine workers are yet to be determined.
Dr Webster, who announced plans for the new visa last month, said a proposal to establish 200-bed quarantine facility on the Mildura Airport grounds had been supported by industry.
Dr Webster said industry representatives and civic leaders in a Zoom meeting on Friday agreed that a solution needed to be found “urgently”.
She said Aspen Medical, which provided the expertise, health and wellbeing support behind the Paringa and Hobart quarantine facilities, also provided a presentation about what the Mildura facility might look like.
She said a Mildura-based facility was estimated to cost in the vicinity of $9 million, while an initial feasibility study costing $42,000 was also discussed.
But she said the Victorian Government continued to ignore its responsibilities on an issue that would ultimately provide a long-term, reliable workforce.
“The main barrier is with the Chief Health Officer in Victoria and the Health Department of Victoria,” Dr Webster said.
“Unless they are even prepared to take a look at this, and that would be Premier (Daniel) Andrews as well, then why would we even attempt to move forward?
“The clock is ticking and that’s my anxiety – if we are going to play politics about this it is just going to go and we will lose the opportunity.
“If the Victorian Government has no appetite at all to take foreign workers in to a quarantine facility, be it run impeccably, then what hope have we got?”
Mr Andrews last week said the states were not consulted before the Federal Government’s visa announcement.
“That’s all great – so they’re going to issue visas to everybody, yes that’s a Commonwealth responsibility,” Mr Andrews said.
“But, apparently, we have to quarantine them all in some unlimited capacity quarantine facility somewhere. It’s a fantasy.
“The notion that there is unlimited capacity to quarantine people – no.”
Dr Webster said: “We’re putting our hands up saying this is worth fighting for and we’re prepared to do whatever we need to do to try to make it work.
“But how can you get past the political? That’s the question.
“I want an outcome for our people, for our community and there is so much that is positive about this.
“We just desperately need solutions and we need to proactively look at how we are going to do this and how can we achieve this.”
