Opinion: Don’t bank on open borders for Christmas, Palaszczuk won’t allow it

Riding a wave of political goodwill from keeping Queensland safe from Covid, Annastacia Palaszczuk has no reason to change tack and fling open the borders in time for Christmas, writes Peter Gleeson.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will not open the borders to NSW and Victoria before Christmas. Take it to the bank.

The reason for keeping the borders closed is a moot point.

Whether she uses poor vaccination rates, Doherty Institute modelling or simply says it’s the “health advice”, the one thing Ms Palaszczuk will not waver on is keeping the state closed off from the rest of the world.

There are two primary reasons.

Firstly, the polling being received by the government shows Queenslanders want their liberty and freedom.

She also knows a massive Delta outbreak would undo all her political goodwill.

It’s the only thing this government has going for it - we kept you safe when the rest of the world suffered.

Secondly, the hospital system in Queensland will not cope with a mass outbreak.

Ramping is rife and Queensland Health is a basket case, poorly equipped to handle an escalating Covid crisis.

So the hard border closures will remain, bubbles will continue to be burst and the exemptions unit will fail to recognise legitimate cases where people deserve the right to return to see loved ones.

When asked about a 90 per cent vax rate being the benchmark to open

up, the premier said she would rely on the Doherty Institute data.

The thing about data and statistics and modelling is that beauty is

in the eye of the beholder - the ones analysing the data hold the ace

card.

As far as the Palaszczuk government is concerned, the data is in -

Fortress Queensland is here to stay and only a brave person would

predict when it reopens again.