Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk provides update on COVID-19 cases
Australia’s Chief Medical Officer has admitted he understands concerns over opening the Queensland border following the spike in COVID-19 cases in Victoria, but made it clear there is no need for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to change her plans.
QLD News
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THERE is no need for Queensland to change its plans for easing coronavirus restrictions, despite the Victorian outbreak Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy says.
But the outgoing top medico said he understood concerns on borders and the decision to reopen was ultimately up to each state.
The Victorian outbreak in recent days has also put the potential New Zealand travel bubble at risk.
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Dr Murphy said it was “fair enough” for state governments to be expressing caution about reopening the borders.
“I think the caution at the moment is understandable understand their anxiety,” he said.
“As you know, we’ve never recommended that the state borders be closed as part of our suppression strategy, but I do understand the concern about what’s happened over the last weekend.
“I think they’ll watch what’s the situation but it’s a matter for them.”
But asked about broader plans to ease restrictions he said there was no problem with states other than Victoria to forge ahead.
“Unless they’ve got cases in their state I don’t see any reason for them to change their plans,” Dr Murphy said.
While he said “green lanes”, allowing quarantine-free travel, with other countries that were COVID safe would be possible down the line, that was still a while away.
New Zealand has been touted as the most likely first destination for Australia to open a travel bubble with, but Dr Murphy said the Victorian outbreak would be a concern.
“The New Zealand authorities would certainly be concerned about that would be watching that. They’ve made no decision to proceed with that we’re working through that with them,” he said.
The Queensland Premier says she is being stopped in the streets by people concerned by the outbreak in Victoria and the potential of a second wave in Queensland.
Ms Palaszczuk said she expected National Cabinet to discuss Victoria’s situation later this week.
Asked if the cluster could push back the July 10 reopening date, Ms Palaszczuk pointed to the road map to easing restrictions – which says it would be subject to a review at the end of the month.
“We’ve made it really clear that the Chief Health Officer will be making a decision at the end of this month,” she said.
“She’ll be making a decision and providing advice to Government.
“The AHPCC has also said they have concerns about Victoria and I have concerns about Victoria.
“There is a lot of active community transmission happening in Victoria and I hope that Victoria can get this community transmission under control.”
Ms Palaszczuk claimed the Prime Minister had made it clear that he did not want states opening up to some states and not others.
“I think it’s something we all need to look at in relation to what’s happening in Victoria,” she said.
“We do not want to see a second wave here in Queensland.”
Ms Palaszczuk said she would wait to see what would happen at National Cabinet on Friday before making a decision on how Queensland would reopen.
“I’m not going to pre-empt National Cabinet,” she said.
“I think that’s the responsible thing to do. I think we’ll have a very lengthy discussion about this.”
It comes as Ms Palaszczuk confirmed there had been no new cases of coronavirus overnight.
It means there are currently three active cases in Queensland, for a total of 1,076 since the outbreak began.
The Premier is in Spring Mountain in Ipswich, spruiking the Government’s first home buyers’ grant.
“If you are a first homeowner and looking to buy your first home, now is the opportunity,” she said.
“Construction and building means jobs.”
The Government announced last week that it would be extending its $15,000 first home buyers’ grant, and would introduce a $5,000 grant for new homes outside the southeast.