Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk defends paying for PCR tests

The premier has defended her decision to make visitors pay at least $150 for a Covid test, but says there’s an easy way to make disappointed tourists happy again.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has doubled down on the government’s decision to make travellers pay for PCR tests until the state hits 90 per cent double dose vaccination.

The Queensland government has been under fire recently after it emerged travellers, including locals returning to Queensland, would need to fork out around $150 for a private lab PCR test if they want to enter the sunshine state.

The negative PCR test is required by people entering Queensland from anyone that’s been in a hotspot for the past 14 days, meaning weekend trips to places like Sydney and Melbourne for Queensland residents are out of the question.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Glenn Hunt

Tourism operators in Queensland also say the PCR test requirement will have a massive impact on their business as tourists in hotspots states, including NSW, the ACT and Victoria, choose to spend their holidays elsewhere, where they won’t have to fork out an extra $150 per person to enter.

Currently, all of NSW, the ACT and Victoria are declared hotspots by Queensland.

Speaking on the Gold Coast today, Ms Palaszczuk urged Queenslanders to direct their anger at the federal government, including Health Minister Greg Hunt.

“I’ll let Greg Hunt look after his job and I’ll do my job,” she said.

“Now’s not the time to fight, now is the time to work together ... Let’s work together and work out a solution .. it’s just disappointing that people want to be political at the moment when all we want to do is keep Queenslanders safe.”

A medical worker takes a Covid-19 PCR swab. Picture: Maja Hitij/Getty Images

Mr Hunt wrote a letter to Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath last night, urging the state to get rid of its testing requirements at 80 per cent double dose, rather than 90 per cent.

Queensland is forecast to hit 80 per cent double dose on or before December 17.

More than 84 per cent of eligible Queenslanders have received their first dose of vaccine and 73.4 per cent of people are fully vaccinated.

Ms Palaszczuk hit out at attacks on the policy and said the problem could be easily solved by the federal government giving a Medicare rebate on PCR tests.

The Queensland premier said “with the stroke of a pen” Mr Hunt could add the tests onto Medicare, meaning travellers wouldn’t have to shell out the pricey fee.

“It is about keeping the rest of Queensland safe and it is a temporary measure until we get to 90 per cent double dosed. Once we get to 90 per cent double dose, there is no PCR test requirement ... and we are getting there,” she said.

Here is the Queensland COVID-19 Vaccine Plan to Unite Families⬇️

A Plan for Queensland’s Borders - Domestic Travel pic.twitter.com/LY4BoWWXL1

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) October 18, 2021

Ms Palaszczuk said she had heard the concerns from Queenslanders, who say the PCR requirement will effectively lockdown the state for Christmas.

“That’s why we need to work out a solution and the best solution is to make it a Medicare rebate,” she said.

The premier said she didn’t want anyone in her state to have coronavirus at Christmas, and said PCR tests were the best way to avoid that.

“The issue would be if someone came in without a PCR test and had the virus, it would spread like wildfire through the unvaccinated population of Queensland,” she said.

“I don‘t want to see the people of Queensland get Covid for Christmas. The federal government might, but I don’t.”

The PCR testing will be on the agenda at this week’s national cabinet, where Ms Palaszczuk said she hoped there would be answer.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet today called for the Queensland PCR test requirement to be discussed at national cabinet.

“If these onerous testing regimes are put in place, someone's got to pick up the bill,' he told 2GB radio today.

“If it's going to keep people safe, I'm happy here in NSW for us to pay our part.”