Queensland Health grants exemption for man to see dying father

Queensland has appeared to make a major backflip after granting an exemption to a couple stuck in hotel quarantine in Sydney access.

Queensland Health has issued an exemption to a man who travelled from the United States to Australia to visit his dying father after days of back and forth between politicians and states.

Mark Kilian and his wife, Annelli Gericke have been stuck in isolation in hotel quarantine in Sydney after flying from Los Angeles last week. They are completing their last seven days currently.

Despite being granted exemptions by the Department of Home Affairs and NSW Health, Mark had been refused permission by Queensland Health four times to visit his father, 80-year-old Frans on the Gold Coast, who has terminal pancreatic cancer.

They are both fully vaccinated and have tested negative for Covid-19 several times.

RELATED: Scott Morrison urges Qld to have compassion

Mark Kilian and his wife Anneli are in hotel quarantine in Sydney and can't get to see Mark's dying father in Queensland. Credit: Change.org

But on Wednesday evening, Queensland Health appeared to backflip.

“We have issued an exemption to Mark Kilian and his partner”, a statement obtained by news.com.au reads.

But, there is one more catch for the couple: Queensland Health will only allow it “subject to NSW finalising arrangement of safe transfer of the couple to Queensland”.

“All quarantine exemption requests are considered on a case-by-case basis, in line with current national guidelines,” Queensland Health said.

“It has been a nationally agreed position that all international arrivals must complete 14 days of quarantine in their port of arrival.

“Queensland’s approach has been in accordance with this national position.

“Queensland will follow any agreed changes to national guidelines.”

Mr Kilian told 7NEWS that he and Annelli will fly to Queensland on Thursday morning.

Earlier, Mr Kilian had pleaded with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to “please allow a son to say goodbye to his dying father.

“We are devastated that QLD Health have once again rejected our compassionate claim,” he said in an open letter seen by news.com.au.

“This is cold, heartless, inhumane and we are feeling sick to our stomachs.”

On Wednesday night, Sky News host Laura Jayes blasted the state government, saying they eventually “succumbed to pressure” and “should have done the obvious and right thing from the outset”.

Mark's father Frans (pictured) in Queensland. Credit: Change.org

On Wednesday morning, Palaszczuk claimed it was a “matter for the NSW government”.

“If they want to break the 14-day mandatory quarantine for this couple, and if they can provide (chief health officer) Dr (Jeannette) Young with how they will safely be transferred from Sydney to the Gold Coast, we will do everything we can to facilitate the reunion with his father at the earliest convenience,” she said.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Wednesday Health Minister Brad Hazzard had made it clear at least a week ago there would be “no impediment” for the couple to make the journey to the Gold Coast.

“That was already made clear that we did everything we could to facilitate (the exemption),” she said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison earlier expressed his “disappointment” that the Queensland government knocked back Mr Kilian from visiting his dying father in hospital in a scathing letter published online.

— with NewsWire