D’Ath: Cairns anti-vaxxer accosts Queensland health minister
A woman has interrupted a media conference in Cairns to accost Health Minister Yvette D’Ath with wild claims about vaccinations.
Cairns
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cairns. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A WOMAN has interrupted a media conference in Cairns to accost Health Minister Yvette D’Ath with wild claims about vaccinations.
Ms D’Ath was answering questions on the Cairns Esplanade when the woman in a large-brimmed hat approached and started firing off allegations about the effects of vaccinations on her friends.
“Communism’s taking over,” she declared.
“They’re opening the borders, darling, and they’re spreading it.”
The health minister was forced to end the media conference and walked away while the woman continued yelling.
“Oh, aren’t you a nice lady,” she said.
“Who voted you in?
“Bring ’em up here now, let ’em all in.
“Spread the disease.”
Queensland Health was contacted about the woman’s claims but could not find a record of the patient she named.
A federal health department spokeswoman said it did not confirm whether specific people died in Queensland hospital – and either way, the Therapeutic Goods Administration did not comment publicly on details of individual vaccination reactions in order to protect patient confidentiality.
Ms D’Ath earlier said she was “very concerned” about vaccination rates in Far North Queensland and foreshadowed an afternoon trip to Mossman Gorge to visit a new pop-up clinic.
“What we know is in the Cairns area, the First Nations vaccination rate is about 30 per cent below the general vaccination numbers,” she said.
“So we need people to be coming out and getting vaccinated.
“We need to make sure that our First Nations communities are protected, because this virus is going to be coming across our borders very, very soon.”
Ms D’Ath said she had not been advised of any staff disruptions at Cairns Hospital related to the suspension of unvaccinated workers.
“But there are, of course, a number of staff that haven’t come forward to be vaccinated,” she said.
“Some of them are able to still remain in the workplace because of where they’re working.
“They’re not exposed to patients and at-risk.
“Others will be taking leave, or are on leave, or may be suspended until they advise whether they’re going to get vaccinated or not.”
She also touched on the GP shortage following reports of sick patients being turned away from clinics across the Far North.
“This is a real concern,” she said.
“This is not unique to the regions, in fact even outer-metropolitan areas of South East Queensland have got GP shortages.
“But we know it gets worse as you move into the regions and further north and out west.”
Ms D’Ath said the growing problem had prompted every state and territory health minister in Australia to write to their federal counterpart, Greg Hunt.
“We have a lot of market failure in the primary and allied health sector, that because people can’t get in to see a GP … these people are ending up in our emergency departments and in our hospital beds,” she said.
“We are working with the Commonwealth about workforce shortages.
“And also, for the first time, we’ve established the medical school in Central Queensland.
“This is the first time doctors are going to be trained in Central Queensland, so that’s a great step forward – but we need to be doing a lot more of this.”
Despite everything, the health minister said she was very confident Cairns would hit its 80 per cent vaccination target by December 17.
“We’re almost 80 per cent first doses already,” she said.
“Once people get their first dose, people are turning up for their second.
“So you can expect to get the second-dose rates up be three or four weeks after that first dose.”
More Coverage
Originally published as D’Ath: Cairns anti-vaxxer accosts Queensland health minister
Cyclist suffers ‘significant injuries’ in solo crash south of Cairns
A Far North cyclist is recovering in hospital with “significant injuries” after crashing into a stationary vehicle.
Rising stars set to shine in AFLW’s Cairns curtain raiser
Future Cairns AFLW prospects will showcase their skills in front of some of the game’s top stars with a take-no-prisoners midfielder and silky-smooth ruck ready to renew hostilities at Cazalys stadium later this month.