Exhibits before the NSW Special Commission into the Ruby Princess show that a port agent for Carnival Cruises booked two NSW ambulances to take passengers off the Ruby Princess the evening before it docked - and said they were suspected of having coronavirus. This was the first indication from the Ruby Princess that the ship's doctor suspected coronavirus cases aboard.
Shortly after midnight the CEO of Carnival Cruises, before the Ruby Princess had docked, and after the harbour master rescinded permission for the Ruby Priness to dock, the ship's doctor told Sydney Harbour authorities that the ambulances were booked for two passengers who had non-Covid health conditions. On receiving this deceptive information, the Ruby Princess was given permission to dock and disembark its passengers.
A letter to the Senate Select Committee, consistent with the CEO's assertion, lists the conditions of the two passengers for whom ambulances were booked as being unrelated to coronavirus.
The operators of the Ruby Princess had recently experienced a similar situation with the Diamond Princess - initially cleared to dock in Yokohama - but that clearance was rescinded when Japanese authorities received conformation that coronavirus was spreading among passengers.
It is likely that the operators of the Ruby Princess deceived Australian authorities and withheld information to avoid a repeat of the situation with the Diamond Princess in Japan the month before...
Chronology of COVID-19 Cases on the Diamond Princess Cruise Ship and Ethical Considerations: A Report From Japan
The Diamond Princess cruise ship has been anchored at the Yokohama port in Japan since February 3, 2020. A total of 691 cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection had been confirmed as of February 23. The government initially assumed that the infection was not spreading aboard and therefore indicated that any persons who either tested negative for the virus or were asymptomatic should immediately disembark. However, on February 5, the government set a 14-day health observation period because of the severity of the infection. Passengers confirmed to be free from infection began disembarking on Day 15 (February 19) of the quarantine.
On February 1, 2020, Hong Kong’s government announced that pneumonia due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was confirmed in Mr A, an 80-year-old male passenger on the Diamond Princess who had disembarked on January 25. Later, on February 3, the Diamond Princess docked off Daikoku Pier at Yokohama Port. No immediate word was issued on when the ship would be permitted to dock.
The number of COVID-19-infected patients on the Diamond Princess increased rapidly. The first 10 cases were confirmed on February 5, and, by February 23, when passengers began disembarking, the number of confirmed cases had risen to 691.
The calls taken by NSW Ambulance were quite clear and unambiguous.
- The message that originated with 'them' calling the CEO of Carnival Cruises is contradictory.
- It is this version that is most likely in error.
- The passengers taken by ambulance did in fact have coronavirus symptoms and infections when taken off the Ruby Princess.
The extracts below are from transcripts of telephone calls in NSW Special Commission exhibits available at https://www.rubyprincessinquiry.nsw.gov.au/assets/scirp/files/Exhibits-17-20.pdf.
The 3 paragraphs copied after the transcript extracts are from a letter to Senator Katy Gallagher, Chair Senate Select Committee on COVID-19. The letter is available at "11. 20200814_Responsefrom Secretary Metcalfe to the Chair's letter including attachments.pdf"
6:59:37 pm 18 March 2020 Table
1
Transcript of phone call – Ashley Nguyen, NSW Ambulance Service
and Bibi Tokovic, port agent for Carnival Cruises
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Call taker
|
Ambulance
Emergency what town and suburb.
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Bibi
|
Hi sorry um
my name is Bibi. I'm calling on behalf of Carnival Australia.
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Call taker
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Mmmm
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Bibi
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I have two
passengers onboard a cruise vessel arriving in the early hours morning.
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Call taker
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Yes.
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Bibi
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I've had a
request by the doctor and forward to book him an ambulance.
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Call taker
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Sorry could
you just bear with me a second.
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Bibi
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Sure.
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Call taker
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I just have
to get my supervisor if you could just give me a moment.
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Bibi
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Sure. Yeah
yeah yeah take your time.
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Call taker
|
What was the
diagnosis of the patient, sorry?
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Bibi
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So basically
they're infectious. They've got an upper respiratory tract uh that they also
require cardiology consult.
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Call taker
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Mmmm.
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Bibi
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So that's one
of them and the second one is the same. They're uh infectious. They've got
upper respiratory tracts and they have severe lower back pain and I can't
even read the words, please excuse my medical ...
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Call taker
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Yep.
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Bibi
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.. .femoral
nerve radiculopathy.
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Call taker
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Yep. Yep. If
I could please have the patient's name.
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Bibi
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Sure. So the
first patient is Mr Anthony ...
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Call taker
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Yes.
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Bibi
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Londero spelt
L-O-N-D-E-R-O.
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Call taker
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And what was
his date of birth?
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Bibi
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I'm just
waiting for those details. That'll probably come through as I'm speaking to
you.
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Call taker
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Yes and where
are we picking them up from?
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Bibi
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So the cruise
vessel will arrive at 2.30. They will be ready in the medical centre at
3.00am at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
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Call taker
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That's the
one in Circular Quay.
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Bibi
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Correct.
Yeah.
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Call taker
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And what
dock?
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Bibi
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Sorry that's
what it is called the Overseas Passenger Terminal. All the same
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Call taker
|
And which
hospital will they ...
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Bibi
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We've been
requested by New South Wales to take them to the Royal Prince Alfred.
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Call taker
|
And the
diagnosis of um…
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Bibi
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So it says: “febrile
upper respiratory tract infection. Signs of rate related cardio ischemia".
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Call taker
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I'm sorry,
could you repeat that for me please.
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Bibi
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Sure uh signs
of rate related cardiac ischaemia.
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Call taker
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So, is he infectious?
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Bibi
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So the doctor
has told me they've been tested for corona ...
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Call taker
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Yes.
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Bibi
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... virus so
precautions need to be taken. So possibly.
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Call taker
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And will he
require a stretcher?
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Bibi
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Yes he will.
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Call taker
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Yep and what
was the name of the referring doctor.
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Bibi
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Umm oh God I
don't have it on the tip of my - that'll probably come through sorry.
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Call taker
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Yes, that's
ok, or the receiving doctor at RPA?
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Bibi
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Or receiving
sister RPA Emergency so yeah.
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Call taker
|
Ok. Did you
have an MRN?
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Bibi
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I don't know
what that is, sorry.
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Call taker
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A medical
records number.
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Bibi
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Um no. All I
know he's Australian.
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Call taker
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Okay. Yes.
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Bibi
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So ...
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Call taker
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And what was
your name?
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Bibi
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Bibi B-I-B-I.
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Call taker
|
Yes. And what
is your role?
|
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Bibi
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Um a Port
Agent.
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Call taker
|
And the
number that you're calling from?
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Bibi
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-
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Call taker
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Yes.
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Bibi
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----
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Call taker
|
And who do
you work for?
|
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Bibi
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Carnival
Australia.
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Call taker
|
And the ship
was arriving at 2.30? Was that correct?
|
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Bibi
|
Correct yes.
|
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Call taker
|
And they'll
be ready at 3 ...
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Bibi
|
They'll be
ready at 3 by the time we sort of tie her up and stuff.
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Call taker
|
Yeah. Is
there a specific place where the paramedics need to go or ...
|
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Bibi
|
Uh they will
- they'll see a gatehouse. If they just make their way through the gatehouse
they'll be directed by security and I'll be there on - on the dockside
waiting for them to escort them.
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|
Call taker
|
inaudible
down [pause] sorry I'm just putting all this in.
|
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Bibi
|
Sure.
|
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Call taker
|
All three ...
yeah, okay. Sorry, just give me a moment.
|
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Bibi
|
That's okay.
Take your time.
|
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Call taker
|
[Typing
information] And the name of the next passenger.
|
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Bibi
|
Yeah is Mrs
Lesley L-E-S-L-E-Y.
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|
Call taker
|
Yes.
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Bibi
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Last name
Bacon B-A-C-O-N.
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Call taker
|
And any date
of birth or still ...
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Bibi
|
No not yet.
No sorry. [Pause] Hang on. Something just came through as I was talking to
you. Oh, I've got a date of birth for them.
|
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Call taker
|
I'm sorry
just a moment. Yep, what was the date of birth?
|
|
Bibi
|
So Ms Bacon
is 27 th of October.
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Call taker
|
Yes.
|
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Bibi
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1942. And I'm
just waiting for Mr Londero I can see that he's texting me.
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Call taker
|
I'll just
continue to put all these details in.
|
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Bibi
|
Are you ready
for the second one?
|
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Call taker
|
Yes.
|
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Bibi
|
So he is the
2 nd of March.
|
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Call taker
|
Yes.
|
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Bibi
|
1968.
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Call taker
|
Yes thank
you. Yep and what was um Ms Bacon's diagnosis, sorry
|
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Bibi
|
So she's got
febrile, upper respiratory tract infections.
|
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Call taker
|
Mm.
|
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Bibi
|
And there's
severe lower back pain with signs projective of a, please bear with me again,
Femoral nerve radiculopathy.
|
12:12:46 am 19 March 2020 Table 13
Transcript of phone call
|
Peter
Dilonardo
|
Sydney
Control, Pete.
|
|
SC XXX
|
Hi Peter,
it's Snr Constable XXX from Sydney Water Police.
|
|
Peter
Dilonardo
|
How are you?
|
|
SC XXX
|
Yeah good.
So, this is a bit of a roundabout, but we — I've just to Cameron [Butchart], the Harbour
Master, who's called the -
|
|
Peter
Dilonardo
|
I guess the
phone number
|
|
SC XXX
|
Yeah, well
he's called them, but he's also — he called — they've called the CEO of
Carnival Australia.
|
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Peter
Dilonardo
|
OK yep.
|
|
SC XXX
|
He said that
from Bibi they then booked two Ambulances for non-Covid related
|
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Peter
Dilonardo
|
Ahhh we've
got it as Covid-related.
|
3:51:22 am 19 March 2020 Table
27
Transcript of phone call
|
Chris
Townsend
|
They did have
11 other patients that they have been in contact with the Public Health
Officer um over and they've already disembarked and made their way to Prince
of Wales or RPA.
|
In “11. 20200814_Response
from Secretary Metcalfe to the Chair's letter including attachments.pdf” at
pages 37-38 (of pdf file) paged 32-33 (in document), paragraphs 138 and 140.
138. Ms Khan also recalls Mr [Cameron] Butchart telling her
that he could stop the ship if need be. She does not recall him saying words to
the effect: ‘[t]he Ruby Princess is still in safe water to be sent back to sea
… you have about 20 minutes to make a pretty quick decision before I can’t turn
the vessel around.’ Instead, she recalls him saying that, if there was anything
that confirmed that this vessel had suspected COVID-19 cases on board, then he
had a pilot on board and it could stop at Bradleys Head. Ms Khan does not
recall any timing for stopping the ship being mentioned at this point. Ms Khan
recalls telling Mr Butchart that she needed to find out what information ABF’s
Maritime officers had on the ambulance cases and relay that information back to
Mr Butchart.
139. At 12.54 am, Ms Khan called
her supervisor, Mr Shane Murray (the on-call Border Force Supervisor for
Shipping Operations) and spoke to him for six minutes. 102 Ms Khan
asked about ambulance cases and whether the vessel had clearance to berth. Mr
Murray recalls advising Ms Khan that NSW Health was not attending and the
disembarkation would proceed. Ms Khan recalls Mr Murray telling her that the ambulances
were for cardiac [see "rate related cardio ischemia"] and nerve issues [see "Femoral nerve radiculopathy"] and were for non-COVID-19 cases [but see "febrile, upper respiratory tract infections"].
102 Call logs, NSW RCU (Ms Sharon Khan) (19 March
2020), row 5 (DHA.0002.0007.0001);
Call logs, Mr Shane Murray (Work mobile) (19 March 2020), row
2 (DHA.0002.0007.0009).
140. Ms Khan then placed a call
back to Mr Butchart, which call records indicate took place at 1.01 am and
lasted four minutes. 103 Ms Khan’s recollection is that she explained
that ABF’s records showed that the ambulances were called out for non-COVID-19
cases and that NSW Health had given clearance for the passengers to disembark.
Ms Khan does not recall making any reference to speaking to her supervisor. Ms
Khan denies saying words to the effect of ‘bring it in’, but agrees that she
would have said that the vessel had been given clearance to dock.
103 Call logs, NSW RCU
(Ms Sharon Khan) (19 March 2020), row 6 (DHA.0002.0007.0001).
