Health Minister Roger Cook has today announced the appointment of a Quarantine Advisory Panel (QAP) to provide strategic oversight of Western Australia's hotel quarantine system.
The panel will be led by independent chairperson Sue Ash who has previously been the chief executive officer of Uniting Care West, West Australian Council of Social Services, Care Options and Wanslea, and is recognised as a leader in advocacy on behalf of the community services sector. She is also a former deputy chairperson of the State Emergency Management Committee.
The chairperson will work alongside five public sector leaders and four independent experts to provide strategic oversight of the management of WA's quarantine arrangements.
The Quarantine Advisory Panel members are as follows:
- Sue Ash, Independent Chair;
- Dr David Russell-Weisz, Director General Department of Health;
- Dr Andrew Robertson, Chief Health Officer;
- Commissioner Chris Dawson, State Emergency Coordinator;
- Emily Roper, A/Director General Department of the Premier and Cabinet;
- Nicki Godecke, A/Director General Department of Finance;
- Professor Allen Cheng, Public health expert;
- Professor Alison Jones, Toxicology expert;
- Rob McDonald, Former South Metropolitan Health Service Board Chair; and
- Garry Taylor, A/Executive Director Safety, Freight and Business Management Systems, Public Transport Authority.
The panel will provide advice to the Department of Health - the lead agency responsible for the State's quarantine system.
Panel responsibilities include assessing and advising on the capacity, capability and performance of WA's quarantine arrangements - including looking at the safety and wellbeing of guests and staff, as well as corporate governance aspects such as procurement, contract management, workforce and industrial arrangements.
It will also monitor and engage with other jurisdictions - looking at responses to outbreaks from quarantine facilities and relevant research and advice to help inform continuous improvement in WA's quarantine system.
Terms of reference for the QAP have been developed in line with the Review of Western Australia's Quarantine Arrangements by Dr Tarun Weeramanthri.
As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:
"I welcome this new advisory panel which has been set up specifically to provide strategic oversight of WA's quarantine arrangements.
"The panel comprises public sector leaders and public health experts, all of whom have significant experience and credentials.
"They will be part of a vital forum to escalate and resolve risks around WA's current and future hotel quarantine arrangements.
"The work of this panel will provide assurance that WA's quarantine system is fit-for-purpose and responsive to the dynamic and complex challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic."
