Queensland closes consulate quarantine loophole but new evidence exposes gaps in border restrictions

Queensland has closed the loophole allowing consular staff to bypass COVID-19 quarantine rules, but new evidence has undermined the Palaszczuk Government’s defence of its handling of the case.

New evidence has undermined the Palaszczuk Government’s defence of its handling of a bungled hotel quarantine case and exposed gaps in its tough border restrictions.

The case prompted Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to immediately force all consular and diplomatic staff returning from overseas or interstate hot spots to go into hotel quarantine in the hope the rest of the country will follow.

From Wednesday, everyone returning from overseas or from an interstate hotspot must quarantine in a hotel, unless under an extreme circumstance.

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The exemption ban comes after man returning to Queensland from Afghanistan via Sydney was given a consular exemption to fly to the Sunshine State and bypass the mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine where he first landed in Australia.

The Government was under fire after The Courier-Mail revealed the man, believed to be in his 20s, who had been granted an exemption from hotel quarantine was not a consular official but a private security contractor working at the Australian Embassy in Afghanistan.

It is one of three incidents in the past week that have put the spotlight on the state’s handling of border restrictions and placed Ms Palaszczuk under mounting pressure.

In the consular case, it can be revealed the man would have been forced to serve a 14-day hotel quarantine in Sydney until Queensland officials intervened and approved his exemption.

It’s understood Queensland officials never checked his credentials with colleagues at DFAT, who would have told them he was not a consular official entitled to an exemption.

The man is believed to have failed to follow directions from his employer, a private security firm, about which exemptions he could seek.

His exemption allowed him to catch a Jetstar flight from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast last Friday before driving home to Toowoomba.

He later tested positive for coronavirus and is believed to have been infectious during the flight, sparking a health alert with officials still trying to contact some passengers who had been sitting near him.

No charges have been laid against the man.

“This exemption is a problem, we’ve seen that in Queensland this week,” Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said Tuesday night.

“A person was able to arrive in Queensland from overseas on a consular exemption, and he had COVID-19.

“I am very grateful to this person – he did all the right things – but was granted an exemption from hotel quarantine.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Tuesday referred the case and key documents to Queensland Police and raised doubts about the authenticity of a letter from DFAT attached to the application.

“If there is any suggestion that it’s not an authentic letter then that needs to be investigated by the police,” she said.

The Courier Mail has seen the letter and confirmed its authenticity with sources but learnt it was never intended for domestic travel or to bypass hotel quarantine.

It says the man was “travelling on essential Australian Government business” however clearly states it was for his passage through international hubs on his way to and from the embassy.

It also clearly states that he is an employee of a company contracted to provide security at the embassy.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Steven Miles updating the media on COVID cases. Picture: Annette Dew

Dr Young said exemptions to hotel quarantine will now only be granted on extremely extenuating circumstances, in line with current arrangements for anyone entering Queensland from overseas or a hotspot.

“We can no longer allow this (consular exemption), with the high cases overseas, the risk is simply too high.”

The Premier said she would like a nationally consistent approach but the State couldn’t wait.

She had pledged to take the issue to the national cabinet meeting on Friday.

“Once again, Queensland will go it alone to protect Queenslanders,” Palaszczuk said.

The move is set to anger DFAT as its understood diplomatic and consular staff returning to Australia were already not supposed to use domestic commercial flights under any circumstances.

The Queensland Government’s move could also expose Australian diplomats to stricter conditions overseas if foreign countries retaliate if their officials are not able to quarantine at home.

Border intrusions were also a major focus for police yesterday as they charged three men and then placed them into hotel quarantine after they had allegedly producing an incorrect pass at the road border on Sunday after driving from Victoria.

Authorities were still waiting for coronavirus test results from the three men on Tuesday.

There were no new cases in Queensland on Tuesday with thousands still queuing for testing.

Originally published as Queensland closes consulate quarantine loophole but new evidence exposes gaps in border restrictions