By Dominique Tassell
New families allowed into hotel quarantine amid pause
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced in State Parliament on 1 September that 50 families would be accepted into hotel quarantinethat coming weekend.
Queensland paused intake to the hotel quarantine system on 25 August, stating it was full.
In Parliament, the Premier stated that in the month of August the state had 5044 domestic air arrivals and 6072 international arrivals.
She said “we keep some capacity because we don’t know when the charter flights are coming in”.
She confirmed the state is taking two additional plane flights from Afghanistan, which they are “happy to do”.
“So yes, our hotels are full.”
She stated that as soon as there is availability people will be allowed in to the hotel quarantine system.
When she announced the pause, the Premier said “this is about keeping Queenslanders safe”.
“Queensland is being loved to death.
“We have been overwhelmed by new arrivals from interstate hotspots relocating to Queensland to escape lockdowns in New South Wales and Victoria.
“While we have allowed genuine relocations for work and other purposes, it has overwhelmed our hotels and it has to be stopped at least for the next fortnight.”
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said these measures are about keeping Queensland safe.
“The pressures on hotel quarantine are simply unsustainable,” the minister said.
“We never know how many domestic arrivals we have from day to day.
“So far we have been able to accommodate them and I appreciate this is a major inconvenience, but we our first priority must be keeping Queenslanders safe.”
Outrage over NRL players and families being allowed into QLD
The Queensland State Government has again been forced to defend their decision to let NRL players and their families into the state at a time when hotel quarantine was paused.
Queensland paused intake to the hotel quarantine system on 25 August, stating it was full.
Approximately 100 league officials, players’ wives, girlfriends and children were recently allowed to enter Brisbane from Sydney, which is currently a declared Covid-19 hotspot.
Member for Hill, Shane Knuth, questioned in state parliament on 1 September why NRL players were allowed to enter the state during the pause.
Minister for Health Yvette D’Ath defended the choice, stating the NRL players were quarantined in their own separate “hub”.
She stated “they have not taken one room away from someone who would have come in on an exemption”.
“That was dealt with separately to our hotel quarantine”.
She further stated that the majority of people trying to come into the state currently are not locals.
“85 per cent of those recent arrivals are all people who live interstate who want to relocate to Queensland,” she stated.
“I know there’s heartache,” she said.
“We’ve seen heartache all over the world.”
She stated that 100 people since the 16th June cluster had died in New South Wales, showing the importance of containing and preventing outbreaks.
Ms D’Ath also criticised the federal government for not providing help earlier with the quarantine situation.
Premier dodges Wellcamp cost questions
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk would not confirm the cost of Toowoomba’s Wellcamp quarantine facility in parliament on 1 August.
When asked how much the facilities would cost, the Premier stated that this was confidential.
She stated the facility would be “up and running by the end of this year”.
“By Christmas those facilities will be ready,” she said.
The state government has signed a one-year lease for the facility, with the option of extending to two or three years.
The Premier also repeatedly stated that though she could not reveal the cost, it will be “a lot lot less than the federal government’s Pinkenba facilities”.
She expressed that she had been advocating for regional quarantine facilities for a long time, and had decided to take it into the state government’s hands after failing to come to an agreement with the federal government.
She stated that “regional quarantine is the best way that we can have a safe environment for people returning to the state…and for the staff working”
The Premier referenced seasonal workers for the state’s farming communities, and how the new facility would help them.
She also stated that universities have also expressed interested in having international students quarantining at the new facility too, though said the government will prioritise residents first.
The Premier stated that the facility can take international flights, saying “that’s not a problem”.
“If you build it they will come,” she repeatedly stated.
“This is the best way we can protect Queenslanders.”
The new regional quarantine facility is in collaboration with Wagner Corporation,
Wagner Corporation will build the facility, with the accommodation modules to be manufactured in Queensland. The Queensland Government will operate the facility once it is up and running.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles previously stated that “this facility will help Queensland to continue to open up and avoid expensive lockdowns”.
“The Queensland Government will continue to work collaboratively to progress the Commonwealth’s Pinkenba facility, but we need more options to get returning Australians home safer.”
Minister for Health Yvette D’Ath said, when the new facility was announced, that it would help continue to keep Queenslanders safe.
“With more than one facility in Queensland, we will be greatly reducing our reliance on hotel quarantine,” Minister D’Ath said.
That means a lower risk of COVID spreading from facilities that were never designed for secured quarantining.”
