Brisbane quarantine hotel leaves man without meals, soap

A distraught mother is pleading for her son to be let out of hotel quarantine after he was refused several meals and left with a shortage of soap and toilet paper.

A distraught mother is pleading for her son to be let out of hotel quarantine after he was refused several meals and left with a shortage of soap and toilet paper at the Novotel Hotel.

Jack O’Brien, 24, travelled via train from Southern Highlands to Sydney Airport on Friday – which meant he was placed into quarantine upon return to Brisbane, despite not stopping in a hotspot, and testing negative.

However, separately, his mother and sister who spent several days in the Sydney CBD have been permitted to quarantine at home upon their return to Brisbane.

Mum Julie said Jack was suffering anxiety had been repeatedly left without food.

“For three nights he was not given a meal at dinner and yesterday he wasn’t given breakfast,” she said.

“He has run out of soap and gone short on toilet paper so we’ve had to drop some in.

“The inequity for someone who has done the right thing, came home when the Premier said to come home, went directly to the airport and has tested negative – it’s unreasonable.”

Andrew O'Brien, father of Jack O'Brien at his Ashgrove home. Andrew wants Jack to quarantine at home. Photo: Steve Pohlner

Mrs O’Brien has written to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Queensland Health and Health Minister Yvette D’Ath – pleading for her son to be granted an exemption, which is being considered.

She said she and her daughter were more likely to have Covid-19, having spent time on public transport, at restaurants and in the Sydney community.

“We’re more at risk having been in the CBD, yet we’re quarantining at home,” she said.

“He’s come from the country, was nowhere near a hotspot and he’s the one in hotel quarantine.

“He’s probably going to catch it considering how they’ve managed hotel quarantine – I’m very fearful … I’m just distraught.”

Jack O'Brien at the window of his Covid Hotel, Novotel Brisbane Airport. Photo Steve Pohlner

Mr O’Brien said hotel quarantine was “disorganised” with Queensland Health contacting him to ask whether he had received test results and hotel staff “forgetting” to provide food.

He also fears contracting the virus while in quarantine.

“I don’t have it and I’m a bit nervous being here,” he said.

“I’m trying to keep the door shut as much as I can.”

The request for exemption from hotel quarantine has been lodged and Mrs O’Brien’s local MP, Labor’s Agriculture Minister Mark Furner, has raised the lack of food and provisions for her son.

Queensland Health said the exemption was being considered.