‘Delta is the gift we don’t want from ScoMo’: Miles slams ‘dishonest’ reopening plan

Deputy Premier Steven Miles has taken aim at the Federal government spruiking open borders by Christmas, saying Queenslanders do not want the Delta as a gift this year.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles has taken aim at the Federal Government and said Queenslanders have told him “Delta is the gift we don’t want from Scott Morrison,” while weighing in on the reopening of state borders.

Following comments yesterday from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk Queensland borders could remain shut for Christmas, Miles said there is a “bizarre parallel debate happening” at a state and national level.”

“I hope by Christmas we’ve reached those vaccination targets and it’s safe to have less restrictions but we should still expect some restrictions to be in place in New South Wales and Victoria,” Mr Miles said.

“They are taking the debate into Queensland where all of the restrictions are already lifted and the only real remaining restriction is the one at the border.”

He took particular aim at Prime Minister Scott Morrison at a press conference outside Suncorp Stadium on Friday morning.

“I have spent a lot of time around Queensland, talking to Queenslanders and what they tell me is Delta is the gift Queensland does not want from Scott Morrison.”

“He gave Delta to Sydney and now they are trying to re gift it to us, well we don’t want that, we want to stay open like we are now and we’ll continue to make our decisions on that basis”

Queensland's Deputy Premier Steven Miles blasted the ‘misleading’ reopening plan. Picture: Jerad Williams

Miles said it was “misleading” to expect for the whole thing to be over when we hit 80 per cent.

“Some, particularly in the Federal Government, are trying to portray it that way if you look at the road map in Victoria, that foresees at 80 per cent people can have larger gatherings in their homes.”

“(That is) much more honest than, for example, a Tourism Minister going out and saying international borders will be open by then, I don’t think Queenslanders want our international borders open if it is not safe to do so.”

Miles said when it comes to opening the border it will depend on the number of cases and vaccination rates in Queensland and New South Wales.

He said the Queensland Government is yet to see the revised version of the Doherty modelling.

“That modelling will tell us what the risks to us are at 70 and 80 per cent, at 70 and 80 per cent you still have large numbers of people who are unvaccinated.”

“From there the CHO an provide advice to us what appropriate restrictions are.”

It comes as the state recorded no new cases and some mask restrictions were relaxed.

Originally published as ‘Delta is the gift we don’t want from ScoMo’: Miles slams ‘dishonest’ reopening plan