Queensland Premier says more lockdowns needed if number of overseas arrivals isn’t cut

The number of international arrivals coming into Queensland must be “massively reduced” or the state will be plunged into further lockdowns, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has warned. IS THIS A FAIR CALL? TAKE OUR POLL

The number of international arrivals coming into Queensland must be “massively reduced” or the state will be plunged into further lockdowns, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has warned.

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Supporting a similar call from Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, Queensland’s state leaders claimed “thousands” of international arrivals potentially carrying contagious strains of Covid-19 were burdening the hotel quarantine system and putting others at risk.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the number of international arrivals should be “dramatically cut” until more dedicated quarantine facilities were built and a larger slice of the population was vaccinated.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles talks to the media for a COVID-19 update in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

He said all of Queensland’s cases, which include a hospital receptionist potentially catching Covid-19 at work and a miner spreading the Delta strain to the NT after being forced to stay in a high risk quarantine hotel, could be “traced back to international arrivals”.

But Queensland’s chief health officer defended the hotel quarantine system as “effective”, telling ABC Brisbane the risks in those hotels were “actually decreasing” as safety measures hardened through the pandemic.

Dr Jeannette Young backed the construction of dedicated quarantine facilities but acknowledged there were “difficulties” with the location of the state government’s Toowoomba hub proposal.

The feasibility and suitability of a proposed hub at Pinkenba will be investigated by both levels of government.

National cabinet is expected to discuss a potential reduction of international arrival caps when it meets on Friday.

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Health Minister Greg Hunt said ultimately the commonwealth would “recognise and respect” state’s requests to reduce the number of people going through its quarantine system, but implored them “to help bring home as many Australians as possible”.

He also refuted a claim by Mr Miles that “only 50 per cent” of international arrival going into quarantine were Australian citizens or permanent residents.

“Over 80 per cent of people that have come into Australia during the course of this pandemic, and in particular at the moment are Australians, permanent residents, or their family,” Mr Hunt said.

“(The remainder are) critical workers, doctors or nurses, people involved in engineering, people who are critical to the operation of different roles, functions, services, and facilities in Australia, they are absolutely critical to keeping Australians going.”

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews slammed Mr Miles for not having “his facts straight” and said more than 370,000 people had come through Australia’s “99 per cent” effective hotel quarantine system

Federal Opposition deputy leader Richard Marles warned there was nearly one leak of Covid-19 from hotel quarantine each fortnight, with 25 recorded breaches nationwide so far.

“That is also why we’re living in the land of the lockdown”.