Councillor accused of COVID-19 breach fires back
A Brisbane councillor has been accused of flouting virus restrictions on the weekend but has hit back, saying why he didn’t breach the rules.
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A Brisbane councillor on the southside has been photographed hosting an event of at least 17 people in a public park on the weekend with little social distancing apparently occurring.
But host Macgregor Ward Councillor Steven Huang has denied the event breached any Covid regulations.
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The event, held at Charles Fraser Park at Eight Mile Plains between 10.30 – 11.30am on Saturday, was to update the community on Brisbane City Council’s traffic management plan for the nearby London St precinct.
However, an attendee of the event, former Labor candidate for Runcorn Ward John Prescott, has sensationally accused Cr Huang and Brisbane City Council of breaching strict COVID-19 regulations prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 in public or private, uploading images to social media showing 17 and possibly 18 people including Cr Huang crowded under and around a small park gazebo.
Queensland Government restrictions banning gatherings of more than 10 people in public or private in dozens of local government areas, including Brisbane, came into effect at 8am on August 31.
However, Cr Huang has hit back, denying any impropriety in hosting the consultation, noting that gatherings of under 500 can still be hosted provided the proper precautions are taken.
“As per Queensland Health COVID Safe requirements for small outdoors gathering under 500, a COVID Safe Event Checklist for the traffic management consultation meeting is on file,” Cr Huang said.
“The local residents who attended the outdoor traffic management consultation meeting were required to provide their details for contact tracing purposes and were advised to practice social distancing.
“I also reminded the residents about maintaining social distancing throughout Saturday’s meeting.”
