Annastacia Palaszczuk and Gladys Berejiklian both express concerns over PM’s vaccine passports

Annastacia Palaszczuk and Gladys Berejiklian have finally found a common cause – their dislike for Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s “vaccine passports” idea.

Scott Morrison’s idea to make Australians carry “vaccine passports” to travel domestically is a bad one, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says.

The Queensland Premier said she and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian were “at one” in their opposition to such a plan.

“I don’t know how a passport would work around Australia,” she told the ABC.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says Scott Morrison’s vaccine passports proposal needs to go to National Cabinet. Picture: Tara Croser.

“To me, there’s been no discussion at National Cabinet on how it would work, why it would be necessary, so I just think we need to have more of a discussion about that.

“Perhaps it needs to go to the Prime Minister’s federal Cabinet first to have a discussion to see what they think of the idea.”

The Prime Minister this week again raised the idea of a “vaccine passport” that would be required to allow Australians to travel domestically and internationally without needing to hotel quarantine afterwards, but recognised the states would need to agree for such domestic arrangements.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison this week again raised the idea of a “vaccine passport” for domestic travel in Australia. Picture: Dan Peled

Ms Berejiklian said she wanted “free movement” between states, whether people had been vaccinated or not.

Meanwhile, Ms Palaszczuk urged people who were hesitant to get the jab to sit down and talk to their GPs about it.

“People are having their flu shots first, that’s a big priority to make sure that people have their flu shots,” she said.

“But then they have to have the COVID vaccine so I hope that there’s going to be more communication and I think the federal government will probably increase its campaign over the coming weeks as well.”

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian wants “free movement” between states, whether people had been vaccinated or not. Picture: Gaye Gerard

She again criticised the federal government over its unwillingness to support a regional quarantine plan west of Brisbane, which they say lacks detail.

“It’s a no-brainer, I don’t know why the federal government hasn’t done more to take over national quarantine … they’ve had a year to set up these regional quarantine facilities,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“COVID’s not going away, we’re seeing mutations across the world.

“We need to protect Australians.”

Originally published as Annastacia Palaszczuk and Gladys Berejiklian both express concerns over PM’s vaccine passports