Wellcamp hub cost as much as 100 ICU beds, says Opposition

The Opposition has branded the $200 million Wellcamp quarantine hub a complete waste of taxpayers’ money, saying vital health services could have been funded instead.

More than 100 intensive care beds could have been bought with the money that’s been spent on the State Government’s Wellcamp quarantine facility, the Opposition has claimed, as the Government revealed Covid-positive cruise ship guests could stay there.

Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman defended the Toowoomba facility on Saturday, saying authorities did not know what was around the corner.

“I understand discussions will be happening with the cruise ship industry in the coming weeks about people that test positive on a cruise ship,” she said.

“So I do think it’s right that Queenslanders have a facility that can help quarantine people who may not have a permanent place to quarantine in and it keeps Queenslanders safe.”

But Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie slammed the facility as a “complete waste of taxpayer money” as he and Leader David Crisafulli again demanded the government reveal its cost.

Mr Bleijie claimed the Government didn’t want to reveal the bill because it was “embarrassed by it”.

“Over 100 ICU beds could be built with the $200 million that was wasted on Wellcamp,” he said.

“And when we talk about the issues in Queensland Health, the health crisis we’ve got, Queenslanders want that money invested in fixing the health crisis in Queensland not just continually wasted by the Labor Government.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Deputy Premier Steven Miles at the Wellcamp quarantine facility. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Mr Bleijie said the Government should have “methodically and in a grown-up way sat down” with the Commonwealth to plan quarantine into the future.

The government is now working out how best to utilise Wellcamp as unvaccinated international arrivals and close contacts won’t need to quarantine from 6pm next Thursday.

The government hasn’t disputed reports the facility cost about $190 million and has previously confirmed $48.8 million was spent on capital costs.

A Government spokesman hit back at the Opposition, saying the Government was already employing more doctors, nurses and paramedics as well as building more hospitals.

“We wouldn’t have needed to build Wellcamp if the LNP’s colleagues in Canberra had done what they were meant to and taken responsibility for quarantine,” he said.

Ms Fentiman also took aim at the Commonwealth, saying quarantine was its responsibility and it had “clearly failed”.

“We had to bring forward Wellcamp, it was much needed,” she said.

“I think Queenslanders can have confidence that … we have this facility now that can keep people safe and we are still in Covid.”

She said she wasn’t aware of any other potential uses for Wellcamp aside from quarantine.