On 2 July 2020, the Governor in Council, on the recommendation of the Premier under section 53(1) of the Inquiries Act 2014, appointed a Board of Inquiry to examine aspects of the COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Program.
The COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Inquiry is required to inquire into, report and make any recommendations in relation to its terms of reference including:
- decisions and actions of government agencies, hotel operators and private contractors
- communication between government agencies, hotel operators and private contractors
- contractual arrangements
- information, guidance, training and equipment provided to staff in hotels
- policies, protocols and procedures.
Head of the Inquiry
The Honourable Jennifer Coate AO has been appointed as the Board of Inquiry.
Justice Coate has held a number of judicial appointments over the last 27 years, including:
- Magistrate
- Deputy Chief Magistrate
- the inaugural President of the Children’s Court of Victoria
- Judge of the County Court of Victoria.
She was appointed as the State Coroner of Victoria in 2007 and held that position until 2012. She conducted a number of inquests during that time. These included the investigation into the multiple fatalities as a result of the gastroenteritis outbreak in the Broughton Hall nursing home.
In January 2013, Justice Coate was appointed a judge of the Family Court of Australia. Thereafter she was released onto the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, where she served as one of the six Royal Commissioners for the 5 years of that Royal Commission.
She has previously held positions as:
- a part-time Victorian Law Reform Commissioner
- a solicitor in private practice
- a solicitor for the Legal Aid Commission of Victoria
- a legal policy officer in the Attorney General’s office of the Victorian Government.
In October 2014, she was appointed as a Fellow of Monash University.
In January 2019, she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia.
In April 2020, she was appointed as the Chair of the Victorian Victims of Crime Consultative Committee. In June 2020 she was again appointed as a part time Law Reform Commissioner.
Report due date
An interim report is due to be delivered to the Governor by Friday 6 November 2020. A final report is due to be delivered by Monday 21 December 2020.
Reviewed 28 October 2020