As it happened: Premier Daniel Andrews claims Jenny Mikakos was in charge of hotels

You can watch a recap of this afternoon's hearing here:

And after 25 days of evidence, the COVID-19 hotel quarantine inquiry has almost wrapped up.

After the Premier's appearance today, there was a fair bit of admin: several documents were tendered and there was some back and forth between lawyers and the chair, Jennifer Coate.

On Monday, the lawyers for the inquiry will give their closing submissions, which is a preview of what is likely to come in the inquiry's final report in early November.

Here's what our stellar reporting team, ably led by Tammy Mills and Michael Fowler, have already published on today's events.

• Premier Daniel Andrews emerged from a meeting of national cabinet before hotel quarantine was set up on March 27 believing Victoria would not be given as much help from the Australian Defence Force as NSW.

• Premier Daniel Andrews has expressed disappointment that nobody at the top of his government appears to know who decided private security guards should be used in the state's quarantine hotels.

• Through excruciating and searching examination over the past few weeks, the inquiry into Victoria's hotel quarantine debacle has pieced together a picture of how the program was assembled as the coronavirus crisis escalated in March and what was done as problems emerged in the following months.

• Embattled Health Minister Jenny Mikakos has denied she misled the inquiry into the Victorian government's botched hotel quarantine system after evidence emerged throwing her testimony into doubt.

Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien has blasted the Victorian Premier and the Health Minister over their role in the botched hotel quarantine program, accusing them of lying and calling for their resignations.

Mr O'Brien described the mismanagement of the hotels scheme, that led to the catastrophic second wave, as the "biggest failure of public administration in the state's history".

"Over 750 Victorians have lost their lives [and] those grieving families deserved the truth, they deserve answers. They got none of it," Mr O'Brien said.

"Instead they got lies, and cover ups and spin. They deserve better.

"The Premier continued to claim he wasn't aware ADF was available. That's contradicted by his own bloody [March 27] press release ... Today Daniel Andrews had one chance to be honest, to be straightforward, to accept responsibility, and he failed that test. How can any Victorian have confidence in him to continue to lead the state?"

The Premier has now been excused after 2½ hours on the stand. He was the final witness to be called to give evidence to the inquiry.

The lawyer for Health Minister Jenny Mikakos has just tendered another statement to the inquiry in response to media reports today that she may have misled the inquiry.

Ms Mikakos' lawyer, Georgina Schoff, QC, said the media reports suggest Ms Mikakos misled the inquiry yesterday in relation to when the minister became aware of security guards working in the hotels.

"That is a suggestion that she categorically denies," Ms Schoff said.

Premier Daniel Andrews has just apologised for the hotel quarantine program.

"Mistakes have been made in this program and answers are required," Mr Andrews said.

"Those mistakes are unacceptable to me."

He thanked the inquiry chair Jennifer Coate and the inquiry staff for their work.

"I am sorry for what has occurred here and I want to issue an unreserved apology to all Victorians," Mr Andrews said.

Cross-examination of the Premier at the hands of Arthur Moses SC has begun.

Mr Moses is the lawyer for Unified Security, one of the three security companies contracted to work in the hotels.

He's provided the most cutting and aggressive questioning of witnesses before the inquiry so have the popcorn ready.

Premier Daniel Andrews said he wants to see the inquiry's final report before he settles on a final model for the future hotel quarantine program.

Counsel assisting the inquiry, Rachel Ellyard, asked the Premier about submissions to the Crisis Council of Cabinet in late June that identified problems with the hotel quarantine including the workforce – such as security guards – the absence of governance, and the need for clinical expertise.

Mr Andrews agreed those matters and potentially others contributed to the outbreaks in the hotels.

"I want to be helpful, but I also want to see the report that this board of inquiry will hand down because I think you have a much deeper understanding of these matters..." he said.

He said he wanted to see "the board's report" before the government "settles on a final model."