Peter Dutton says Qld Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s three-day COVID-19 lockdown was ‘panic’

Annastacia Palaszczuk has been accused of ‘panic’ for the way she’s handled the coronavirus situation in Queensland, which has been labelled ‘disruptive’.

Peter Dutton has slammed Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s three-day lockdown as “panic”.

Coronavirus restrictions remain in place across the state despite the Greater Brisbane lockdown ending on Thursday.

Speaking to Sky News after coming out of lockdown, Queensland MP Mr Dutton said leaders should be able to deal with an outbreak of few cases.

“There has been from the start, probably even in this latest example, been a bit of panic by Premier Palaszczuk,” Mr Dutton said on Sunday.

“We’re lucky that the cases ultimately dwindled and the contact tracing was effective.”

Peter Dutton says that Queensland panicked with its lockdown.

The nation’s new defence minister said the default position should be to keep borders open because people were being vaccinated.

“I hope it is in the past because it’s incredibly disruptive, and it makes it very difficult for people to be able to plan,” Mr Dutton said.

“We want to make sure that people’s businesses are viable, particularly over the coming months, and the close of borders in a kneejerk way just does not help that.

“There was a lot of worry from tourism operators, and rightly so, that bookings would fall away dramatically.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced lockdown would lift at midday on Thursday. Picture: Jono Searle/Getty Images

“People would obviously not be able to go to restaurants yet all of their shelves are stocked, they had meat and all the food rotting, that otherwise would have been served to people over a very busy period of Easter.”

Queensland recorded no new locally acquired COVID-19 cases on Sunday.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said one overseas traveller had tested positive for COVID-19.

Originally published as Peter Dutton says Qld Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s three-day COVID-19 lockdown was ‘panic’