Coronavirus: Annastacia Palaszczuk slams Brad Hazzard’s ‘rubbish’ claims

Annastacia Palaszczuk accuses Brad Hazzard of trying to ‘distract’ from NSW cases, advises him to get on top of them.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has slammed as “rubbish” NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard’s claim her border closure is political, and said he’s trying to “distract” from what’s happening in his own state.

Ms Palaszczuk, campaigning in Cairns, said she would not budge on the 28-day no-community-transmission rule to reopen state borders.

Mr Hazzard told ABC Radio National this morning that, “Palaszczuk has decided she is in an election phase and is playing games with the community”.

He said he had evidence but declined to share it.

NSW Minister for Health Brad Hazzard. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

Asked about the statement at a press conference, Ms Palaszczuk said: “Rubbish.

“Can he just concentrate on his own issues as health minister of NSW? Get on top of those cases, which is good, we’re seeing that happen in NSW, we’re very pleased with that…but honestly, I’m not going to be distracted by someone who is trying to distract from what’s happening in their own state.”

Asked whether QLD and NSW were at an impasse on borders, and whether the current system should be reconsidered in favour of a regional “hot spot” plan, Ms Palaszczuk blamed the Prime Minister.

“There was a proposal that was supposed to go to national cabinet, and for some reason unbeknownst to me, the Prime Minister decided not to bring that forward. The AHPPC had agreed, is my understanding, on a set of terms and conditions, and it never proceeded to national cabinet.”

Ms Palaszczuk said she would take advice from Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young about the “persistent” sewage tests showing COVID-19 in Airlie Beach.

Ms Palaszczuk acknowledged the tourism industry was struggling in Cairns, but placed the blame on the international borders being shut. She would not say whether there would be an industry-wide rescue plan

Skyrail’s Ken Chapman said usually at this time of year 60 per cent of its business came from overseas, nearly 20 per cent from Victoria, and about 16 per cent from Queensland. Queenslanders have tripled their usual numbers.

The government announced a $5m concessional loan for Skyrail, part of an $870m previously announced package to help industries struggling with COVID-19. That

The Skyrail cableway linking Cairns to Kuranda, both in the marginal Labor electorate of Barron River, was shut from March to September, and is now only open four days a week.

Queensland health minister canes Berejiklian

Queensland health authorities are yet to decide whether the planned reopening of the border to NSW residents on November 1 will go ahead.

The resurgence of community transmission of COVID-19 in Sydney has put the proposed reopening in jeopardy and led to a new round of taunts between NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and her Queensland counterpart Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Queensland authorities are concerned about the continued detection of coronavirus particles in the sewerage around Cannonvale, near Airlie Beach in north Queensland.

Friday, 9 October – coronavirus cases in Queensland:

• 0 new confirmed cases
• 4 active cases
• 1,160 total confirmed cases
• 1,150,364 tests conducted

Sadly, six Queenslanders with COVID-19 have died. 1,152 patients have recovered.#covid19 pic.twitter.com/RXmTgzOsTs

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) October 9, 2020

Health Minister Steven Miles urged residents between Mackay and Airlie Beach to get tested for the virus.

Mr Miles said the health department was monitoring cases in NSW and Victoria.

“We are particularly closely monitoring the effort in NSW to manage that new cluster they are experiencing in southwestern Sydney,” he said.

“You’ll have noted that in recent days NSW are reporting similar numbers to Victoria.

“All of that data comes from a national report from the federal government’s national incident room.”

Criticising Ms Berejiklian, who has said the Queensland government’s unwillingness to open the border until the state passes 28 days without community transmission was illogical, Mr Miles said New Zealand had eliminated community transmission of the virus, along with Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT.

“It underlines how disappointing it is to see the NSW premier admit that they don’t share that aspiration, that they don’t aspire to that target, that they’ve given up on that goal of 28 days of no unlinked transmission,” he said.

Mr Miles listed economic and virus figures in the United States, France and Brazil to justify the government’s strict health response.

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said NSW had “found links” for seven of the eight cases they were notified of on Thursday.

“I understand they have a further 10 cases today, five in hotel quarantine and five in the community,” she said.

“All five, they know how they acquired those cases. NSW has extremely good contact tracing ability and they’re using that at the moment.”

Dr Young said the decision to go ahead with the proposed border reopening was yet to be made.

“We just need to wait a bit longer before we decide whether or not there is any need to change that planned opening to NSW which at this point in time is planned for November 1,” she said.

“We use that 28 days of no unlinked community cases to assist us in determining if it’s safe at that point in time, at the end of the month, to open to another state. That has stood us very well in Queensland.”