‘Undermined’: Warring politics behind NRL ticket debacle

The Palaszczuk government has again taken aim at the Federal Government, blaming it for the fiasco involving free NRL tickets for vaccinated people.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles has accused the federal government of “undermining” Queensland’s vaccine rollout, after a fiasco involving an NRL ticket giveaway yesterday.

The footy ticket incentive to drive vaccinations was on, then off and then on again after revelations the Therapeutic Goods Administration prohibited it for first doses.

But it was soon reinstated when the TGA changed its guidelines.

Mr Miles today blamed the Morrison government’s ‘campaign against Queensland’ for the debacle but was unable to say why Health Minister Yvette D’Ath did not check with the TGA before she announced the NRL rewards scheme had been axed.

“It seems to me the Prime Minister’s office’s campaign against Queensland and Queenslanders got truly bizarre yesterday, it jumped the shark,” he said.

“The TGA came out last night and said they never had a problem with it.”

Queensland's Deputy Premier Steven Miles blamed the federal government for the ticket debacle. Picture: Jerad Williams

Questioned about why Ms D’Ath failed to check directly with the TGA about any concerns it may have before slamming the federal government, Mr Miles said she was “responding to media inquiries”.

“We announced a very good, strong positive initiative to get Queenslanders vaccinated - the federal government again came in and tried to undermine it,” he said.

Mr Miles said it was an example of the undermining Queensland had “been dealing with all along”.

The NRL ticket giveaway set to speed up Queensland’s vaccination drive turned into a debacle, thanks to rules governing who can and can’t be rewarded, despite a national push to protect everyone.

A Palaszczuk government and NRL joint incentive to give free tickets to Friday and ­Saturday’s preliminary finals to 3000 people vaccinated over two days was disrupted on Thursday after revelations Therapeutic Goods Administration rules prohibited it.

An incensed Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said rules stating people could only ­receive an incentive if they were fully vaccinated was ­“bureaucracy gone mad” and suggested Queensland was being targeted.

“It seems to be the better we do, the more we get criticised,” she said.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath called the move ‘bureaucracy gone mad’. Picture: Richard Walker

Ms D’Ath initially claimed it meant all tickets given out had been cancelled, but the NRL said it had not done that.

“I understand the NRL has suspended these tickets based on TGA advice that they can only be offered to people who are fully vaccinated,” she said. “Can I say this? Is bureaucracy gone mad? Are we supposed to be ­vaccinating people in this country or not against Covid?”

But the NRL was contacted last night by the federal government and assured it was able to give anyone who received a vaccine a ticket to the games – regardless of whether it was their first or second dose.

It means everyone getting vaccinated on Friday at specific locations will be able to get a ticket, until they run out.

Greg Hunt, Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care speaks at a Press conference at his electorate office in Somerville. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Sarah Matray

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said there was “no barrier” to the initiative.

“We thank the NRL and continue to urge all Queenslanders to step forward for vaccination as soon as possible,” he said

Ms D’Ath said Prime Minister Scott Morrison should have fixed the issue months ago when he claimed that the TGA advising against offering free beers for jabs was heavy-handed and that the Palaszczuk government would write to the TGA about its unhelpful rule.

The TGA amended their rules overnight. It now states that incentives “can only be made to people who have been partly or fully vaccinated”.

The TGA maintains they had never planned to take enforcement action against the giveaway, nor had flagged any issues with it to begin with.

Meanwhile, Jai Edmunds, 16, was the first to be vaccinated at the newest walk-in Pfizer hub at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal.

The family live in Manly, but Jai’s mother Sam Edmunds said she heard about the promotion on her way to work and drove to Pinkenba.

“Jai got his jab today and then my other two children are coming back tomorrow,” Ms Edmunds said. “My husband and I were ­already going to the Manly game tomorrow night, but now all three children will be able to come to the preliminary final as well.”