Labor considered turning Covid quarantine facilities into domestic violence shelters

The federal government has considered transforming quarantine facilities built during the pandemic into emergency shelters for people fleeing domestic violence, according to documents obtained under freedom of information laws.

The facilities collectively cost more than $1bn and were designed to replace the initial hotel quarantine scheme, which some doctors described as a disaster. But the briefing document describes the quarantine centres as long-term assets that could be used to respond to many challenges beyond Covid-19.

In October the federal government approved a request by the Victorian government to use the Mickleham quarantine facility in response to devastating floods.

More than 200 people stayed at the $560m facility, which will be handed back to the federal government next month.