Jeannette Young gives pollies golden ticket to jump vaccination queue

Queensland politicians – both state and federal – have been advised to get their Covid-19 vaccinations as a matter of urgency, even as many of their constituents are left to languish on waiting lists.

Queensland politicians have been handed a golden ticket by chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young to jump the queue and access precious Pfizer vaccines despite frontline workers and vulnerable Queenslanders in priority groups still waiting for the lifesaving jab.

Dr Young this week wrote to the clerk of Queensland’s parliament, Neil Lawrie, advising him that Queensland politicians should be vaccinated as a matter of urgency.

“I am of the view that it would be prudent to support all Members of the Queensland parliament, as well as Members and Senators of the parliament of Australia who are based in Queensland, to be vaccinated for COVID-19 as a matter of priority. These persons, including Ministers and of both Parliaments, are eligible to receive Pfizer Covid-AP vaccine,” she wrote in the letter sent Monday.

Politicians are able to use a print out of the letter as “evidence of their eligibility” so they can book an appointment.

Some of the politicians who are now eligible for a shot include Queensland’s Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon who 28 years-old and LNP member for Bonney Sam O’Connor who is 29.

Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon, 28, can now head to the front of queue for a Pfizer vaccine thanks to a mandate by Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young. Pics Tara Croser.

Meanwhile, more than 200,000 Queenslanders are on a wait list to receive the Pfizer jab but can’t yet make a booking, with Dr Young saying last week that Queensland currently had only enough Pfizer for second doses and critical frontline workers.

Dr Young did not respond to questions yesterday about why politicians had been prioritised when some people in priority groups were still waiting but a Queensland Health spokeswoman reiterated a passage in the letter that said: “The Queensland parliament and Federal Parliament are vital to the functioning of democracy in our state and Australia more broadly”.

“Members and Senators are often required to travel to Brisbane or interstate to fulfil the democratic obligations of their roles … for these reasons, it is essential that Members of parliament are protected from COVID-19,” Dr Young’s letter said.

The letter has been slammed by breakaway unions the Nurses Professional Association of Queensland and the Teachers Professional Association of Queensland as “appalling”.

TPAQ secretary Jack McGuire said the group was “outraged by the political elite once again showing that some are more equal than others”.

“The TPAQ is calling for the CHO to rescind her letter and issue a new letter allowing frontline workers like teachers to be prioritised,” he said.

NPAQ secretary Aenghas Hopkinson-Pearson said there were still nurses who hadn’t been vaccinated – including students who are about to be blocked from studying because they haven’t had the jabs.

“Earlier this year, politicians also received a pay rise despite the rest of the public service, including nurses, having their wages deferred,” he said.

“Nurses, who spend a lot of their time caring for vulnerable Australians have once again been queue jumped by those in their mahogany offices in George St.”

But AMA Queensland president Professor Chris Perry said it was imperative that politicians lead by example and were vaccinated as soon as possible with the appropriate vaccine for their age group and risk profile.

“Politicians need to follow the same advice as the public and have AstraZeneca if they are over 60 and Pfizer if they are under 60,” he said.

A spokeswoman for Queenslanders with Disability Network said there were still people with a disability in the 1a category of the vaccine rollout that had not received their jab.

On Friday Queensland Heath sent an email to thousands of Queenslanders waiting patiently for their vaccine letting them know “we have not forgotten you!” but reiterating that only priority groups including healthcare workers, hotel quarantine workers, airport workers, police and aged care and disability workers, were able to be vaccinated at this time.

A spokesman for the Premier said the majority of MPs were already vaccinated and it was up to them how they got the jab.

“No one is taking the place of those workers who can go to any vaccination centre and go to the front of the queue,” the spokesman said.

“MPs are out in the community and regional MPs travel between their electorates and Brisbane.

“The last thing we need is for an MP to take the virus back to their communities especially the Delta strain.”