By Luke Voogt
Avalon has emerged as a front-runner for Victoria’s planned quarantine facility with the airport awaiting an “imminent” announcement on the plans.
An aviation industry source today told the Independent they believed federal government was more likely to choose the airport than state government’s preferred site at Mickleham.
Acting Premier James Merlino yesterday indicated either site would work “equally” well.
“We’ve got two sites; Mickleham is our preferred. Avalon would work equally as well and that is our alternative,” Mr Merlino said.
“That is a call from the federal government.
“The federal government just need to give us the tick on the site and the tick on the funding, and we will crack on and get this thing built.”
The facility will replace Victoria’s hotel quarantine program, which has been the origin of multiple outbreaks in the state since COVID-19 first hit.
Both Avalon Airport chief executive Justin Giddings and Fox Special Projects chief executive Ari Suss said federal government had yet to inform them of the decision.
“We haven’t been told anything,” Mr Giddings said.
He added that he expected federal government to make an announcement on its decision tomorrow.
Speaking on 3AW, federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg declined to confirm the commonwealth’s preferred site.
“[The announcement] is imminent and that’s all I can say,” Mr Frydenberg told Neil Mitchell today.
“Avalon does have some very positive characteristics to it, obviously being near an airport, and that’s relevant in this case.”
