Apartment owners at a Melbourne hotel designated to quarantine tennis players arriving for the Australian Open are considering launching legal action against Tennis Australia.
Thirty-six people who permanently live in penthouse apartments at the Collins Street hotel say they were not properly consulted about the decision for the building to be a quarantine site, and fear their health is at risk with hundreds of tennis players arriving from overseas.
After much deliberation and doubt the Open would go ahead at all, an agreement was reached between the Victorian Government and Tennis Australia which requires players and their entourages to isolate for 14 days before being cleared to play in the tournament.
The Westin is one of four hotels that will serve as a quarantine base.
Acting Premier Jacinta Allan said players and their teams would be kept separate to residents.
"The Westin, like every venue, went through a rigorous assessment, very strict infection prevention measures have been put in place in all of the venues," she said.
"The very clear advice is that arrangements have been put in place so there is no contact between the existing residents and the people staying associated with the Australian Open.
"There are separate entrances, there are separate floors, there are floor monitors on every floor, there is 24/7 Victoria Police presence associated with every venue."
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The acting premier said the call to use certain hotels as quarantine bases was informed by public health advice and in conjunction with tournament officials.
"The decision around any hotel that is associated with the Australian Open has been made by COVID Quarantine Victoria in consultation with Tennis Australia, and it's all been based on and ticked off by the public heath advice," Ms Allan said.
"So these arrangements, whether it's at the Westin or any other accommodation venue that's being used by the Australian Open, goes through that same rigorous process."
The Australian Open is scheduled to start February 8.
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