SENATOR KRISTINA KENEALLY
DEPUTY LABOR LEADER IN THE SENATE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS
SHADOW MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP
SENATOR FOR NEW SOUTH WALES
LITTLEPROUD FAILS TO EXPLAIN AGRICULTURE’S RUBY PRINCESS FAILURES
David Littleproud is the second Government Minister in the past three days who has failed to answer basic questions about the tragic missteps of the Morrison Government in its handling of the COVID-19 crisis.
On Insiders this morning, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud failed to explain the exact time officials from his Department gave approval for people to disembark the Ruby Princess on the morning of 19 March.
“Well, they gave it on the March 19. The exact time, I don't have in front of me…” – David Littleproud, Insiders, Sunday, 23 August 2020
Let’s be clear – when it comes to human health, only Agriculture officials can give permission for passengers to disembark a cruise ship.
David Littleproud refused to acknowledge, or apologise for what his Department’s Secretary already conceded to the Senate COVID Committee – that the Agriculture Department failed to do the required Traveller with Illness Checklist onboard the Ruby Princess.
We still don’t know which Federal officials – Agriculture or Border Force – gave permission for people with COVID-19 to disembark the Ruby Princess at 6.30am on 19 March. It was not NSW Health as they were not onboard that morning.
First Richard Colbeck couldn’t say how many people in residential aged care had died of COVID-19 and today David Littleproud couldn’t explain the failures of his Agriculture Department when it came to the Ruby Princess.
Are any of Scott Morrison’s ministers across the detail of their portfolio during this pandemic?
Scott Morrison and his ministers need to take responsibility for failing to stop the one boat that mattered.
They can begin by apologising to the hundreds of Australians who contracted COVID-19 because of the Ruby Princess as well as the family members of the Australians who have tragically lost their lives.
