Parliament live blog: Annastacia Palaszczuk dodges questions over empty quarantine hotels

Taxpayers have shelled out tens of millions of dollars for hotels to be used for quarantine, despite the Wellcamp facility being operational since early February. PARLIAMENT BLOG

Queensland taxpayers have forked out tens of millions of dollars for hotels to be used for quarantine services in recent weeks, despite the Wellcamp quarantine facility being operational since early February.

The Opposition seized on the revelations today that taxpayers were still paying for several hotels across the state, describing the costs as “eye-watering”.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles confirmed the Government had spent $26.9 million on hotel quarantine and isolation services between February 5 – when Wellcamp opened – and March 31.

He said six regional hotels were still operating so Covid-19-vulnerable community members could isolate, while the Novotel at Brisbane Airport was being used to take quarantine guests in “emergent circumstances”.

“Since opening Wellcamp and beginning the hotel decommissioning, we have saved $8.5 million per month,” Mr Miles said.

“By the time the additional hotels, such as those in regional Queensland, cease in the coming months, there will be a further saving of $5.7 million per month.

“The reduction of hotels has been done in accordance with advice from Queensland Health and the chief health officer, having a regard for the health modelling at all times.

“We have an obligation to respect the contractual notice periods of each hotel and their contract expiry dates.”

The hotels that remain open in the regions are located on the Gold Coast, Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, and Mount Isa, with Mr Miles promising to scale down the arrangements subject to Queensland Health advice.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli accused the Government of misleading Queenslanders, after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced in February the departure of the last person from hotel quarantine in Brisbane.

“This eye-watering amount of taxpayers’ money is being wasted at a time the Wellcamp facility remains largely unused,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“We could be buying an extra two ambulances every day with this money.”

Earlier, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk repeatedly dodged questions about how much it was costing taxpayers.

The Opposition asked Ms Palaszczuk how much the Government had spent on the hotels since Wellcamp had opened.

She did not respond to the question but attacked the Federal Government for failing to step up on quarantine. 

Follow-up questions asked Ms Palaszczuk to justify the "waste of taxpayers' money" after revelations the Stamford Plaza in Brisbane was still being used as an isolation hotel.

Ms Palaszczuk responded: "You want to attack the tourism industry now?"

She suggested the contract with the hotel was for a fixed term and hadn't finished yet.