The head of Victoria's jobs department has told the hotel quarantine inquiry he doesn't know who made the decision to hire private security guards for the botched program.
Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions secretary Simon Phemister says his department was tasked with hiring security companies following a meeting at the state control centre on March 27.
Mr Phemister wasn't present at the meeting but knew it was attended by high-ranking Victoria Police officers as well as Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp.
"I don't know who made the decision," Mr Phemister told the inquiry on Tuesday.
"All I know is that we were commissioned to procure private security in that 4.30pm meeting."
The inquiry was shown WhatsApp messages between Mr Phemister and his colleagues as they began their search for reputable security companies later that day.
"Gotta be careful with a lot of security companies. Heaps of cash work," one colleague warned.
"Cowboy industry," another said.
"Needs to be reputable. Don't want (redacted) rogue (redacted) prowling the corridors," another replied.
Mr Phemister said his department was looking for companies with a proven track record of working with the government plus the ability to "scale up" as more travellers returned home.
It was also considered "valuable" if a security company had its own personal protective equipment supplies due to a shortage in the state at the time.
"The final point ... we needed them to be good, model employers," he said.
"Now more than ever, given the economic climate, we needed people who had a track record of being good to their teams and employing people on a correct and fair basis."
The inquiry has heard MSS Security, Unified Security and Wilson Security were awarded contracts.
All three subcontracted other companies to provide guards for the program, which was designed to stop coronavirus spreading into the community.
But 99 per cent of the state's second wave can be traced back to outbreaks at two hotels - the Rydges on Swanston and Stamford Plaza.
Unified Security provided security to 13 quarantine hotels despite not being on the government's approved contractor list.
In the Whatsapp exchange, jobs department bureaucrat describes Unfied Secuirty as "good but small".
Mr Phemister's evidence to the inquiry continues.
Department of Health and Human Services secretary Kym Peake will also appear on Tuesday.
It is the inquiry's final week of public hearings, with Jobs Minister Martin Pakula and Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville due to give evidence on Wednesday.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos and Premier Daniel Andrews have been pushed back to Thursday and Friday respectively.
"When I'll appear before the inquiry I'll answer the questions as honestly, frankly, clearly, directly as possible," the premier told reporters on Tuesday.
