Telstra phone records might reveal who decided to use security guards in Victoria's hotel quarantine

Mandatory data retention laws cited as preventing the release of call records of the former Victoria police commissioner Graham Ashton

Telstra is holding key information that could solve the mystery of who decided to use private security guards in hotel quarantine in Victoria, but says restrictions in the mandatory data retention legislation prevent the release of critical call records.

Last week, the inquiry heard in closing submissions it was a creeping assumption" among various government department heads on 27 March - the day the program was announced and influenced by Victoria police's preference - that led to security guards being used in the program.