Scott Morrison rages at Queensland border ‘extortion’

The PM has unleashed on Annastacia Palaszczuk for holding Australia “to ransom” over her threat to keep Queensland’s border closed.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has unleashed on the Queensland Premier accusing her of “shakedown politics” and trying to “extort money” over her threats to keep state borders shut unless he gives her more cash for hospitals.

It’s one of the strongest attacks he’s unleashed on a state premier in months as the country prepares to re-open after vaccination rates hit 80 per cent.

Annastacia Palaszczuk has suggested she needs more cash to prepare for a surge in Covid cases.

But the Prime Minister wasn’t having it during an early morning media blitz on the Today show.

Scott Morrison on the Today Show. Picture: Today/Channel 9

“I won’t respond to shakedown politics in a pandemic,’’ Mr Morrison said.

“We have been showering the states with money over the course of Covid.

Today host Karl Stefanovic then asked the Prime Minister what he planned to do if “Annastacia Palaszczuk says alright, that’s fine, I just won’t open up”.

“Well, she has to take that up with the Queensland people then. I mean, to go down this point and say ‘Well, you know, I’m going to hold the Federal Government to ransom and seek to extort money from them on the basis of Covid’, I just don’t think is the right way to go,’’ Mr Morrison said.

"I'm not going to respond to shake-down politics in a pandemic."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the Queensland government's warning they will not open up unless more funding is given to the state's hospitals. #9Todaypic.twitter.com/ctBJtQ3t6k

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) October 4, 2021

“We’ve been working with them constructively. We’ve supported them time and again with joint funding initiatives. We’ve shared 50/50 the costs of Covid on the health system, more than 30 billion around the country we’ve pumped into health support.

“Of course there are challenges but as a state government, they’ve got to be responsible for their state health system. NSW is getting on with it, so are Victoria and the ACT, so Queensland needs to get on with it.”

Stefanovic then responded, “Extorting money? Obviously the relationship is not going that well then - you just said then?”

“Well, I’m just calling it as I see it, Karl,’’ the Prime Minister said.

“I mean, to suggest that they’re not going to open the borders unless I send them cash, how else would you like me to call it?”

Queensland has warned its border with Victoria and NSW could remain shut until the Commonwealth agrees to a major increase in hospital funding.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Dan Peled/Getty Images

“I am not going to put Queenslanders at risk until both of those issues are sorted out,” Ms Palaszczuk said on Friday. “Which means a big injection of funds from the Federal Government into the states to make sure the hospitals are able to cope with the growth (in cases) that will happen.”

But Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says he intends to reopen his state’s border with NSW as soon as possible.

“Once we get to 80 per cent it’s my intention to have freedom of movement – that’s always been our goal,” Mr Andrews said. “We just have to wait and see where things are at that point.”