Coronavirus Qld: Quarantine hub at Wellcamp ready to go but federal government stalling, Steven Miles says

The Federal Government has enough information to give in principle support for Queensland’s proposed quarantine hub and its request for more information is “just an excuse”, Steven Miles says.

The Federal Government has enough information to give in principle support for Queensland’s proposed quarantine hub in Toowoomba, Steven Miles says.

It comes after The Courier-Mail last month revealed the Government had largely provided information to the Commonwealth in dot points which lacked crucial details.

The Government has since requested more information.

But Mr Miles today said that was “just an excuse”.

“There is more than sufficient information for them to at least provide in principle support for the concept,” he said.

“Once they do that, and once they provide some information about how they will support it, then the Wagners will be in a better position to fill out some of those details.

“But a lot of the detail has been prepared.”

John Wagner with Deputy Premier Steven Miles.

The Queensland Government has been calling on the Commonwealth to back a proposal for a 1000-bed facility to be built near Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport – owned by the Wagner group.

Mr Miles said a national quarantine centre provided a great opportunity to bring more people home, keep the community safer and to help avoid another snap lockdown.

Flagging this week’s National Cabinet meeting, Mr Miles said Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was keen to talk about it.

“As is the Victorian Government who have their own proposal for a near airport quarantine facility,” he said.

“Between the two of those we could get lots more people back here safer without potentially exposing our communities.”