Question Time live: Protest outside parliament as Premier defends NRL WAGS border decision

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has faced a grilling over the decision to open the border for NRL WAGS, with claims of a "lack of leadership" over the matter.

The Premier has been forced to defend a decision to let in a football entourage while Queenslanders have been locked out of their own state as state parliament is put into lockdown.

It's understood police made the decision in response to anti-lockdown, anti-mask protesters who turned up to Parliament House during a peaceful demonstration by voluntary assisted dying protesters.

 

Question Time began with a raft of questions over the decision that has left Queenslanders and others moving to the state angry following a two-week pause to arrivals because of pressures on hotel quarantine.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli kicked off the first of several questions asked why she had "prioritised a sporting entourage over everyday Queenslanders", and raising the case of a cancer patient who had gone interstate for her mother's funeral and was now stuck there.

He slammed the decision as "shambolic".

"If there's room for sporting families, there's room for Queensland families," he said. 

Mr Crisafulli claimed the "lack of leadership" started last Wednesday when Queenslanders in interstate hotspots were given two hours' notice that the border was further closing. 

He said he wanted to know when that decision was taken because minutes mattered. 

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young walks past an anti-euthanasia protest outside Parliament House in Brisbane. Picture: Dan Peled

Ms Palaszczuk continued to defend the decision to welcome the NRL officials and wives as outside the operation of the normal hotel quarantine system.

"Stress on the system was going to stretch our resources and we had to get that under control," she said.

She said there were exemptions for people with health issues and who were grieving loved ones.

Anti-euthanasia protesters hold signs outside Parliament House in Brisbane. Picture: Dan Peled

Fiery debate was abruptly halted by Speaker Curtis Pitt, and a barb from Ms Palaszcuzk to LNP frontbencher Tim Mander that "at least I'm not wearing a flowery mask" was received with outrage from opposition benches.

Meanwhile, Mr Pitt informed MPs during debate that the parliament has been locked down due to an "attempted incursion" by protesters outside the building.

No one is to be allowed in or out.

Originally published as Question Time live: Protest outside parliament as Premier defends NRL WAGS border decision

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