NSW Health Director Kerry Chant has defended contact tracing which led to the health minister being assessed as a casual contact of COVID-19, amid claims he was exposed to an infected colleague at a dinner party.
A parliamentary inquiry on Friday looked into Health Minister Brad Hazzard’s COVID-19 classification following a possible exposure on June 22, 2021 at the National Party dinner.
Hazzard has been accused of receiving preferential treatment after avoiding mandatory isolation, despite allegedly having contact with national MP Adam Marshall at the event. Marshall later tested positive for COVID.
When questioned by One Nation MP Mark Latham (pictured), Dr Kerry Chant told the inquiry that the inquiry into virus exposure at Parliament House was “very thorough”.
The inquiry was told of a “central contradiction” between Hazzard’s and Marshall’s accounts of whether they interacted.
Mr Hazzard, the inquest was told, informed contact tracers there was no contact, while Mr Marshall, in a filing, claims the men conversed closely.
When questioned by One Nation MP Mark Latham, Dr Chant told the inquiry that the investigation into exposure to the virus at Parliament House was “very thorough”.
“The contact tracing process was robust,” he said.
Dr. Chant said she had faith in the contact tracers involved in the process, which she noted was moving quickly to assess cases and contacts.
She said the team carried out “extensive analysis” using interviews and CCTV to make their calls.
“This was an example where there was a lot of work,” he said.
Former NSW Health contact tracer Jennie Musto said her assessment of Mr Hazzard was that he had no direct contact with Mr Marshall “and therefore not considered a close contact”.
Doesn’t it now appear that Mr. Hazzard was lying? Mr. Latham asked Mrs. Musto.
Dr. Chant (pictured) said she had faith in the contact tracers involved in the process, which she noted moved quickly to assess cases and contacts.
“I don’t think that’s the case,” Ms. Musto replied.
She refused to give Mr Hazzard any special treatment because he was the health minister, saying “everyone we come in contact with is treated in exactly the same way.”
Earlier, Mr Latham questioned Pharmacy Guild of Australia NSW Branch President David Heffernan, who was also at the event, about his written submission to the inquiry.
In the presentation, Mr Heffernan stated that he did not remember seeing Mr Hazzard and Mr Marshall ‘talking directly’.
“Mr. Heffernan, your account of events…was quite vague and misleading compared to the very clear recollection that Adam Marshall has given this committee,” Mr. Latham told the witness.
Mr Latham claimed that Mr Hazzard did, in fact, approach the witness, Mr Marshall, and another member of the pharmaceutical union, Richard Walsh, and interact with them for “several minutes”.
Mr Hazzard (pictured left with Dr Chant) recently announced that he would retire in the March state election after more than three decades in parliament.
“I stand by my statement,” Heffernan said, denying that it was misleading and noting that the event was more than a year ago.
Walsh, in his testimony, said he had no recollection of being part of a conversation involving Hazzard and Marshall.
“I don’t remember a conversation between the four of them,” he said.
He said he couldn’t rule out Mr Hazzard and Mr Marshall chatting but said “I can’t honestly confirm it in any way”, saying they were all “hanging around”.
According to budget estimates earlier this year, Mr Latham asked NSW Health staff a series of procedural questions about the decision, prompting the current investigation.
The health minister has been contacted for comment.
Hazzard recently announced that he would retire in the March state election after more than three decades in parliament.