Annastacia Palaszczuk zeros in on unvaccinated regions as shocking vaccine lag is revealed

One Queensland town is not expected to hit the 80 per cent vaccination target until June 2022, as the premier warns of localised lockdowns.

The Queensland Premier has threatened regional towns with lockdowns if they do not radically speed up their vaccination rate, as it’s revealed one town won’t hit the 80 per cent vaccination target until June next year.

At its current rate, Cherbourg, a small town near the Wondai State Forest, about 250km from Brisbane, will not hit 80 per cent for another eight months.

Only 32.3 per cent of residents had received even a first dose, with the second dose rate sitting below 25 per cent.

Data from across the Sunshine State, analysed by News Corp, found other poorly performing regions like Rockhampton and the Whitsundays may not hit the target until after January 26.

Rockhampton, the Whitsundays, Gladstone and Mackay are yet to surpass 66 per cent of the adult population who have had just one dose.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: NCA NewsWire/John Gass

Border town Goondiwindi leads the charge with 88 per cent of the population having one dose.

At the start of this month, news.com.au outlined the towns which could keep the state’s border closed due to poor vaccination rates.

The areas with the lowest vaccination rates in Queensland are Cherbourg, Yarrabah, Isaac, the Central Highlands and Charters Towers.

Isaac Regional Council Mayor Anne Baker said the lag in supply of the jab within her community in Central Queensland, near Mackay, had contributed to its slow vaccination rate.

“We are very aware we’re among the lowest cohort in the country, which is concerning,” she said.

“The vaccine supply was initially an issue but the opening up of the age bracket has helped during the last four to six weeks. The average age of a person in Isaac is 32 so it will make a difference,” she said.

On Monday, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk released the state’s long-awaited road map out of Covid-19, urging her constituents to get vaccinated.

She said the state’s borders would be open for fully vaccinated interstate travellers from December 17 – or when the state hits an 80 per cent double-dosed vaccinated rate, whichever comes first.

But the Premier threatened lockdowns may return in regional areas if they did not get their jab rates up.

“If we have a big outbreak, for example, it could be in central Queensland, they may have to go into a lockdown,” she said.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles echoed her comments, noting those who were yet to be vaccinated would also lose freedoms when the state reopened.

”If you want to move around, travel around more after December 17, get vaccinated now,” he said.

”If you want your family to visit for Christmas, get vaccinated now. If you want to avoid regionalised lockdowns and restrictions, get vaccinated now.”

There has been growing concern about the risk of Covid within the Indigenous population.

Across Australia, nearly 85 per cent of the adult population over the age of 16 years have received one dose, while 67.85 per cent have been fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, only 57.5 per cent of First Nations people over the age of 15 years have received their first dose, and 42.3 per cent have had two doses.