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Victorian government orders hotel quarantine staff audit after hiring perjurer Nelly Yoa

The Victorian government says Nelly Yoa had undertaken training for his  quarantine role, but had not yet worked a shift.

The Victorian government says Nelly Yoa had undertaken training for his quarantine role, but had not yet worked a shift. Photo: AAP

The Victorian government has ordered a staffing review after a self-promoting perjurer, who was yesterday convicted of assault, was hired to work in the state’s hotel quarantine system.

Nelly Yoa rose to prominence in 2018 and 2019 over a series of discredited public claims, from being a South Sudanese youth mentor, to trialling with top-level soccer clubs, to having Usain Bolt attend the birth of one of his children.

The 32-year-old faced the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, where he pleaded guilty to unlawful assault and was fined $3,000 over an incident in 2019.

He had previously been found guilty of perjury and making a false statement to police.

In Parliament, Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien questioned the state government on how it could justify employing a convicted criminal to manage highly sensitive personal information of Victorians.

Government Services Minister Danny Pearson said the man was employed by COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria (CQV) and did some training, but did not work a shift.

Mr Pearson said he had requested the CQV commissioner Emma Cassar conduct an audit of staff police checks “to ensure there are no outstanding checks on existing individuals”.

“Significant criminal history precludes a person from being employed by CQV,” he said.

Mr Pearson said it was a requirement for CQV job applicants to complete police checks when they applied for jobs.

“All staff are required to declare at that employment process if they’ve been charged or convicted of an offence when applying with CQV,” he said.

“The early advice I’ve received from CQV overnight is the fact that this person failed to disclose previous offences and convictions.

“CQV have informed me that a show-cause notice will be provided to this particular individual and the resolution of that matter is underway.”

According to News Corp, Yoa’s lawyer Hazel Whalley told the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court Yoa was hired by the Department of Justice to work in hotel quarantine facilities on a 12-month contract in December.

Nelly Yoa hired a limousine and fake security guards to escort him into court in 2019. Photo: AAP

It is understood Yoa was training as a resident support officer, a job with advertised duties such as escorting returned travellers to hotels, temperature checking and delivering parcels to rooms.

Yoa’s public profile rose when he was featured on the front page of The Age newspaper commenting on youth violence within the Sudanese community.

A range of other outlets, including the ABC and Sky News, also aired his comments.

Within days Yoa’s story began to unravel, when genuine Sudanese community leaders said he had overstated his influence.

Yoa has declined to comment.

-ABC

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