Stranded Queenslanders share their stories after Health Minister places blame on them for leaving

From tragic deaths to premature babies, these are the reasons Queenslanders rushed to leave the state – despite the Health Minister saying they “knew the risks” – only to be locked out when they tried to return. It comes as Queensland recorded no new cases on Sunday.

Queenslanders have been sensationally blamed by Health Minister Yvette D’Ath for becoming trapped interstate despite thousands of people being stranded by the state government’s snap border ban last month.

More than 3000 people – including Queensland residents – have contacted authorities, desperate to enter the state from Covid-ravaged New South Wales and Victoria.

Ms D’Ath on Saturday sensationally said it was the fault of many Queenslanders for leaving the state that they had now become stuck.

Queensland recorded no new cases on Sunday.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath at yesterday’s daily Covid-19 press conference. Picture: Richard Walker

“We have been saying since mid-June if you travel interstate there is a risk that there will be lockdowns, that there will be restrictions,” she said.

“I appreciate that people are eager to come back but many of these people have actually gone interstate knowing what the rules were.”

Sunday 26 September – coronavirus cases in Queensland:

No new cases recorded in Queensland overnight.#covid19pic.twitter.com/g0I03ACfpj

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) September 25, 2021

Her comments were made despite the state government enforcing a two-week ban on all arrivals on August 25 – which forced even Queenslanders with permission to return, to reapply.

The two-week ban was relaxed by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk several days later after widespread anger and the availability of 50 extra hotel quarantine rooms.

Ms D’Ath on Saturday said the government acknowledged the “heartache and disruptions that Covid has caused across the country”, but would not say when Queenslanders could return nor why they could not home quarantine.

She instead cited the Covid-19 situation facing Australia’s two largest states.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said Picture: Richard Walker

“There are many families in Victoria who live suburbs away from each other who aren’t allowed to visit each other – there are people in New South Wales who are not allowed to go from one area to another to visit households,” Ms D’Ath said.

“It’s not just about Queensland and people not being able to come to Queensland to visit.

“This disruption is happening all over the country.”

Annie Edington made an emergency dash to the Covid-free ACT in mid-July when her daughter unexpectedly gave birth at 32 weeks pregnant.

The premmie baby contracted Bacterial Meningitis and spent almost 40 days in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Annie Edington made a dash to the ACT when her daughter unexpectedly gave birth at 32 weeks and has since been unable to return to Queensland.

With her daughter and the baby healthy, Ms Edington then discovered she was one of the “mentally broken” Queenslanders barred from returning home.

Danni du Preez’s mother has been trapped in Victoria after she left Queensland to be with her son, who died of pancreatic cancer on August 4.

Soon after his death the state government’s hard border closure forced her to resubmit a border pass application, which has not yet been approved.

“My mother needs to return home to grieve her son, with her husband,” Ms du Preez said.

She called for the government to allow her fully-vaccinated mother the chance to return to the state and quarantine at home for two weeks.

Kristyn Price and her family are attempting to return to Queensland after moving to Melbourne in 2010.

After rushing down to be by her daughters side, Ms Edington realised she was stranded due to border closures.

Ms Price said her family desperately needed support after her children, Oliver and Lilly, were diagnosed with autism, ADHD and anxiety

The family purchased a home in April and researched schools before the government’s arrivals ban left them “in limbo”.

“We have asked for an exemption to home quarantine,” Ms Price said.

“We are fully vaccinated and have done all the right things and followed the correct channels.”

As of Thursday about 3800 people were locked in state-managed hotel quarantine across Brisbane.

Ms D’Ath said Queensland was mirroring the Commonwealth, which had banned national citizens from returning home.

Pharmacist Manager Matilda Twist with Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. Picture: Richard Walker

“Just like Australians who have been trying to come back to Australia for 19 months now and have had to wait until there is capacity, we are asking people who are stuck interstate to work with us while we try to build capacity,” she said.

“We can’t have thousands of people all just coming home and going into home quarantine without looking at the risk factors because if we did it would be extremely irresponsible.”

Ms D’Ath also defended Ms Palaszczuk comments on Thursday when she questioned why people would want to travel to India when international borders open.

The Premier’s comments were labelled “condescending” by members of Queensland’s Indian community, who said many Indian-Australians simply wanted to see their families.

Ms D’Ath said Ms Palaszczuk was demanding the Commonwealth explain its plan for overseas travel.

“The Premier in no way was targeting any individual ethnicity or culture – what the Premier is saying is Scott Morrison, when he talks about opening up international borders and having travel, needs to say which countries does he think the virus is not still spreading in.”

Queensland recorded one new case of Covid-19 on Saturday morning, a young child in home quarantine with connections to the Sunnybank cluster.

The child tested positive on day 14 of the family’s quarantine stint – meaning the whole household will face another fortnight in isolation.

There are 62 per cent of Queenslanders with their first dose and 43 per cent fully vaccinated.