Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk fires back over criticism for lack of strategy to reopen to the nation

The Premier has snapped back angrily after being bombarded with questions about Queensland’s lack of reopening strategy, blaming the federal government for not having a clear plan and arguing Queenslanders already have more freedoms than planned for other states. WATCH THE VIDEO

Very little could change in Queensland once the state reaches an 80 per cent vaccination target, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk questioning why anyone would want to travel overseas anyway.

A frustrated Premier fronted a fiery press conference on Thursday in which she asked people to “calm down” until the national plan – which she said would determine Queenslanders’ freedoms – was settled at next Friday’s national cabinet amid continuing questions around which restrictions could be eased once vaccination targets are reached.

Peppered with questions about Queensland’s reopening and whether the state’s strategy was in line with the national plan to open at an 80 per cent vaccination rate, Ms Palaszczuk snapped at the press pack, pointing to her record on keeping the coronavirus out.

Journalists were accused of not being “across the issues” when the Premier was pressed for detail and Ms Palaszczuk said agitation “coming from Canberra” was a key reason for the criticism she had faced as she bit back at each question.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at the Pinkenba COVID Vaccination Hub. Picture: Richard Walker

“Let me say, say this, if we get a Delta outbreak here, we’ll all be in lockdown and no business is really operating,” Ms Palaszczuk told a reporter.

“Do you want that? Do you want that?”

“I don’t understand these constant criticisms of Queensland doing well. I will always stand up for this state, I am sick of being attacked for Queensland doing a great job, and Queenslanders doing a great job.”

Ms Palaszczuk also stressed that Qld currently enjoyed more freedoms than NSW and Victorian residents will at 80 per cent vaccination rates.

“In Victoria, at 80 per cent, they will be allowed 30 people to visit for Christmas dinner. Here, Queenslanders can have 100 people over,” she said.

“I’m sick of constantly being attacked for doing the right thing.”

Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the new Pinkenba vaccination centre would offer a free bus to nearby businesses to make it easier for workers to get protected.

“We’re doing everything we can to make vaccination as easy as possible because the sooner we’ve got Queenslanders fully vaccinated, the sooner we can remove so many of the restrictions that we’ve had for a long time,” she said.

However, Ms Palaszczuk said she still did not have a date on when Queensland would reach 80 per cent of the population vaccinated – insisting it relied on supply from the federal government – and declined to say what freedoms or rewards Queenslanders would eventually benefit from.

“The national plan hasn’t been finalised, they’re still doing work,” she said.

“We’ve got another meeting next week so everyone can just hold off and calm down until next Friday.”

Asked whether she supported federal government assurances that Australians should be able to travel overseas by Christmas, she shot back: “Where are you going to go?”

“Are you gonna go to India?” she asked.

“In Tokyo, you have to sit in perspex screens with masks on and if you remove your mask, you can’t talk while you’re eating.

“Yes, in Europe, some people are travelling.

“I think the federal government needs to identify very clearly what are the countries that Australians can travel to, okay.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk faces the media. Picture: Richard Walker

Asked whether she would be comfortable with Queenslanders travelling overseas, Ms Palaszczuk said it was a matter for the federal government.

“I mean Queenslanders will probably enjoy greater freedoms travelling around Queensland, than if they hopped on a plane and went to Tokyo,” she said.

She said the border bubble with New Zealand had been “great”, but now parts of that country were in lockdown.

Ms Palaszczuk did not commit to opening the border at 80 per cent and referred questions about whether Queenslanders could travel to Victoria or New South Wales for Christmas to those states’ Premiers.

“In Victoria if you have 80 per cent vaccinated including 12-15 years olds you can have 30 people around to your house for Christmas dinner – at the moment everyone in Queensland can have 100 people,” Ms Palaszczuk said.