Health Minister to provide update on Queensland’s Covid cases, stranded Diggers

Queensland has recorded no new cases of Covid in the past 24 hours after a record day of vaccinations, as the Health Minister slams the Morrison government for its “constant” and “appalling” attacks. WATCH LIVE

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath has slammed the Morrison government for constantly attacking Queensland over issues such as the vaccination rollout and reports Diggers had been left stranded in Afghanistan.

It comes as Queensland records no new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours after a record day of vaccinations, with more than 23,000 jabs administered on Tuesday and 35.22 per cent of Queenslanders now having received their second dose.

Ms D’Ath said Prime Minister Scott Morrison needed to “stop picking fights” and “playing politics”.

The Health Minister said she believed all the Morrison government was focused on right now was coming out and attacking the Queensland Government, regardless of the issue.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath. Picture: Dan Peled

“It is their modus operandi right now, it is all they do, go out and attack the Queensland government … it’s a great deflection on anything else happening in the country” she said.

“We are a little bit sick of the Morrison government coming out and attacking us on vaccines, attacking us on this ADF personnel issue, I think it is actually reflecting on their own failings” she said.

“We, and the people of Queensland, expect a lot more.”

Ms D’Ath labelled reports that Diggers returning to Queensland from Afghanistan had been stranded by the Palaszczuk government’s delays in issuing a special hotel quarantine exemption as “mischievous”.

Ms D’Ath insisted it has “never been in any doubt” Diggers returning to Queensland from Afghanistan would be allowed to quarantine in their own bubble.

Ms D’Ath took aim at what said was inaccurate and distressing reports regarding the stranded Diggers.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: Gary Ramage

“These reports are inaccurate,” she said.

“There has been no delay, they aren’t being kept overseas while we work through this.

“We’re happy to do this and to play our part but someone is being mischievous in claiming that.”

Ms D’Ath said it was unlikely the ADF was the source of the initial reports, and instead suggested it had come from the federal government.

“This is appalling, it’s making families of ADF personnel anxious when they don’t need to be and I am just disgusted that anyone is playing politics with this issue,” she said.

Ms D’Ath said she had been trying to get in touch with Defence Minister Peter Dutton this morning but hadn’t had any luck.

She said she was “sick of the Morrison government trying to attack us”

Ms D’Ath also took aim at the Federal Government over criticism of Queensland’s vaccine rollout.

“It is the state government who is delivering mass vaccination hubs, it is Queensland Health that is travelling across this large and vast state and delivering vaccines to remote communities, not the Commonwealth” Ms D’Ath said.

“Are we in this together or not? Scott Morrison needs to stop picking fights.

“We need the vaccines and they need to stop playing politics with this. I think the general population should be furious about the politics being played, the Commonwealth needs to stop putting states against each other, particularly Western Australia and Queensland.”

Ms D’Ath was also critical of Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt that there were 60,000 doses of the Covid vaccine available to Queensland which it had not taken.

“If there are 60,000 (vaccines) on offer to Queensland, we’ll take it” Ms D’Ath said.

“We weren’t told there were 60,000 available to order, this is the games that are being played right now.

“I look forward to Greg Hunt delivering it tomorrow. Because last time he stood up and said there were vaccines available to us, I wrote to him immediately and he said, actually there’s not additional stock, it’s the same doses you asked for’.

“I am a bit tired of the rhetoric and the stunts.”

“Can I be clear, QHealth has ordered 10 per cent of its eligible doses.”

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young. Picture: Dan Peled

Meanwhile, Chief health officer Jeannette Young said the Beenleigh cluster now sat at three people.

She said she was confident it was safe to now reintroduce visitors at those various services in the Logan area.

Dr Young urged everyone to get the vaccine, again insisting it was the best way to protect themselves against an inevitable outbreak.

From Monday next week, people aged 12 years and over will be eligible to get Pfizer.

Originally published as Health Minister to provide update on Queensland’s Covid cases, stranded Diggers