The managing director of Tourism and Hospitality Services Australasia says his in-person attendance at the opening of Crowne Plaza in Hobart in July was essential so he could sign off on the hotel's handover to InterContinental Group.
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Rodger Powell was able to attend the hotel opening on July 1 after gaining essential traveller status.
He flew into Tasmania on June 29, four days after he emailed Tasmanian Hospitality Association chief executive officer Steve Old to inquire into the progress of his essential traveller application, expressing his frustration at the process.
Mr Old forwarded the email directly to Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment secretary Tim Baker - Will Hodgman's former chief of staff - with the message "Hey mate any help you can offer with this?" followed by a smiley face.
Mr Baker forwarded the email to DPIPWE's essential travellers manager who said the application had already been approved by the State Controller. The emails were detailed in documents released to the Tasmanian Greens under Right to Information.
MORE ON QUARANTINE EXEMPTIONS IN TASMANIA:
Mr Old raised eyebrows at the hotel's opening when he credited his contact book for its completion during the pandemic, then said he meant workers had been flown in for the works, but the RTI had no details of this.
Greens leader Cassy O'Connor said it was unfair that "the head of a national hospitality lobbying association" had been deemed an essential traveller, while Tasmanians had "sacrificed so much to tackle this virus".
"When they hear that a national lobbyist for the hospitality association is given a special exemption to attend an event, I think they will be asking questions and those questions should be answered," she said.
"This looks very much like Liberal mates looking after Liberal mates.
"Every member of parliament is receiving correspondence and emails from people who have been rejected on compassionate grounds for their application to come into Tasmania to be with grieving relatives who have been rejected for a whole range of reasons."
Labor Health spokesperson Sarah Lovell said it was unclear why a hotel executive had to be at the launch.
"It's not a good look when you've got a head of a peak body emailing his mate in the department that is processing these applications to get approval for a hotel executive to attend a launch," she said.
Steve Old says his involvement was all above board
Mr Old said he "doesn't apologise" for forwarding Mr Powell's concerns to Mr Baker.
"All my role in it was that I asked if someone could look at it and give him an answer, and there was urgency around a 'yes' or 'no'," Mr Old said.
"I didn't say to anyone, 'can you please approve this' or anything.
"As a lobbyist, it's my job to lobby and help my industry the best I can."
In the RTI documents, Mr Baker outlined that he forwarded the email "blank with no instructions".
Once he had confirmation that Mr Powell had been granted essential traveller status, Mr Baker made a "short" phone call to Mr Old.
Mr Powell said he was required to attend Crowne Plaza in person prior to the opening "to conduct a range of final physical site inspections and to confirm that all parties had met the requirements of the various agreements and contracts" and to hand over the hotel to InterContinental Group.
"THSA followed the procedures required by DPIPWE to make an online application for the granting of an Essential Traveller permit and supplied all the information and documentation required to demonstrate the qualifications for granting of the permit on June 24th," Mr Powell said.
"THSA received an automated response on the 24th advising that applications take 3 to 6 days or longer to process and took steps to communicate directly with the department to ensure the permit could be processed in time for the June 29th deadline to travel to Hobart."
Premier backs quarantine exemption process
Premier Peter Gutwein said he had confidence in the State Controller's handling of the quarantine exemption process.
He said he had been provided with information that Mr Powell's attendance was essential so that Crowne Hotel could "open and employ the staff", and he had no recollection of meeting Mr Powell at any function.
"I've got confidence in the state controller and the state controller undoubtedly has confidence in his team," Mr Gutwein said.
"The exemption process is conducted at arms length from me."
He accused journalists of "calling into doubt the integrity of the Police Commissioner" by asking about the matter.
When asked about what category of essential traveller Mr Powell fit under, a spokesperson for the State Control Centre provided the process for assessing applications.
"To be granted essential traveller status an applicant is required to state that the work they are required to perform is essential to time-critical business continuity," the spokesperson said.
"All applications are processed by DPIPWE and scrutinised twice before they are assessed by the state controller.
"Any essential traveller application based on attending a celebratory event has not and would not receive approval."
Specific details of Mr Powell's application could not be provided as they would breach confidentiality obligations.