‘Prisoners’: Peter Dutton hits out at QLD border controls

The border wars between the Federal Government and Queensland are continuing with Peter Dutton saying people have a right to be angry.

Queensland’s strict border controls have again been slammed by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.

It comes as a stoush over borders grows between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Speaking on 2GB on Thursday, Mr Dutton said people unable to get exemptions were being treated “cruelly” and like “prisoners”.

“People are right to be angry,” he said.

“There is no health reason … it’s all for political reasons.

“Unfortunately, a lot of people are suffering and feeling the consequences.”

A Queenslander himself, Mr Dutton was speaking from isolation after coming to Canberra for parliament.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk allowed AFL officials from Melbourne into Queensland without quarantining so they could announce the 2020 AFL Grand Final would be played at the Gabba. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Mr Dutton also condemned the Queensland Government for being “inconsistent” after letting sportspeople and AFL officials into Queensland, but not a young woman from Canberra who wanted to see her father before he died.

He called for a commonsense approach to borders and blamed faceless bureaucrats for making the decision.

“The Premier needs to intervene,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s office contacted 2GB to get in contact with the woman, who is now in hotel quarantine, to see if she could attend her father’s funeral on Thursday.

Mr Morrison called Ms Palaszczuk on Thursday to lobby for the woman to attend the funeral but was knocked back, which he described as “heartbreaking”.

But Ms Palaszczuk in a statement to the Queensland parliament said: “I will not be bullied nor will I be intimidated by the prime minister of this country.”