Covid Qld: Case numbers revealed as possibility of vaccination passport grows

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has refused to rule out more snap lockdowns, even with an 80 per cent vaccination rate, as the state records two new cases – both in quarantine – and extra police officers are stationed on the NSW border.

Annastacia Palaszczuk will beef up the police presence guarding Queensland’s border as more than 1000 vehicles are turned around attempting to enter the state, but admits she won’t rule out more snap lockdowns even when a vaccination rate of 80 per cent is achieved.

Ms Palaszczuk revealed 25 extra officers would be stationed on the western end of the Queensland and New South Wales border to prevent southerners defying stay-at-home orders and attempting to cross into the state.

“That’s a big police presence along our border to make sure we do everything we can to keep Queenslanders safe,” she said.

Queensland recorded one new Covid-19 case linked to the Indooroopilly cluster and one in hotel quarantine.

Both were in quarantine while infectious.

Ms Palaszczuk refused to say if Queensland’s snap lockdowns would end once 80 per cent of the population was vaccinated.

“There’s still discretion that lockdowns will be able to be done in specific areas,” she said.

“It doesn’t say we are not going to have lockdowns but that lockdowns will be minimised.”

Ms Palaszczuk said the Doherty Institute research – which provided advice for National Cabinet’s way out of Covid – was based off Australia having very little Covid community transmission, which is ‘not the case any more’.

The Premier also defended the state’s new vaccine mandate that essential workers from NSW must have at least one dose of either vaccine before coming into Queensland.

She said there should not be issues with essential workers from New South Wales accessing their first dose.

“You really should have had the opportunity to have that vaccine by now,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Those essential workers that cross the border will have to have that one dose.”

She said teachers should remain at home in NSW.

The Premier also revealed she would write to the NSW Premier about shifting the border to the Tweed river to “make it easier” for authorities to manage the border bubble.

Experts warned the one-jab edict, issued on Monday, could be the start of a new way of life where people will need proof of vaccination for travel and other everyday events, such as going to a restaurant, concert or football match.

Ms Palaszczuk said the introduction of a vaccine passport for everyday life in Queensland was an issue to be canvassed at National Cabinet.

“We don’t have the final answer - we have to look around the world and work out what’s working, what’s not working,” she said.