Scott Morrison pulls rug on Annastacia Palaszczuk’s Covid-19 quarantine plan

The Queensland Premier delivered her final, detailed plan for a regional quarantine camp to the federal government only for the proposal to be almost immediately scuttled.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Josh Woning

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk delivered her final, ­detailed plan for a regional ­quarantine camp to the federal government on Friday, only for the proposal to be almost ­immediately scuttled by a new ­requirement for the facility to be built on commonwealth land.

State officials were blindsided by the new provision in the federal government’s criteria for partnership with states on proposed quarantine facilities.

The move was interpreted as a bid by Scott Morrison to kill off the Queensland plan, expected to cost $300 million in its first year and which had been backed by the university and agricultural sectors to help fast-track the ­return of overseas students and workers to the state.

But the Morrison government disputes the Palaszczuk government’s claim, with federal sources saying on Saturday there was no criteria for quarantine to be built on Commonwealth land.

The only requirement listed in advice released late on Friday following national cabinet meeting was a value-for-money clause that the stand-alone quarantine accommodation be “Commonwealth-owned”.

“To provide an enduring asset to support resilience (Commonwealth ownership will mean that the investment not only supports Australia’s Covid-19 response, but contributes to an increased resilience capability),” the key assessment criteria said.

Senior Morrison government sources said there was “absolutely no requirement for quarantine facilities to be built on Commonwealth land”.

The Lindsay Fox-backed Avalon site in Victoria is the federal government’s preferred site not because it is near an airport, they said, but because the alternative at Mickleham already has an animal quarantine facility on it.

Under the Commonwealth’s hotel quarantine criteria, which was tabled during Friday’s national cabinet meeting, the Queensland proposal would likely fail to meet multiple requirements.

Those requirements include proximity to an international airport with limited bus transfer, being complementary to hotel quarantine, having Commonwealth-owned facilities and being within a 1-hour drive to a major hospital.

Morrison government sources say they first learned of Queensland’s new proposal when it landed on Friday.

The move came as the federal government approved a 500-bed quarantine facility in Victoria – either in Avalon, near Geelong, or Mickleham to Melbourne’s north – and pledged $200 million ­towards its construction. It is ­expected to be completed by January next year.

For months, the Prime Minister and the Queensland Premier have been at loggerheads over her government’s proposal for a 1000-room facility on land owned by the Wagner family, near its privately owned Wellcamp airport, west of Brisbane.

Mr Morrison had previously accused the Queensland government of failing to provide a detailed proposal for the facility, to be built by the Wagners, and ­operated by the state.

On Friday, the Queensland government delivered a 95-page proposal for the facility that would cost about $300 million to build and operate in its first year. Costs would be shared between the state and federal governments and part of the cost would be recouped by arrivals in their quarantine fees.

The plan is also contingent on a guarantee of international passenger arrivals into the Wellcamp airport through chartered flights and for commonwealth staff to process international arrivals.

A spokesman for Ms Palaszczuk would not answer questions about the new provision for the facility to be built on commonwealth land, saying the Premier did not discuss matters raised in national cabinet.

In a separate statement, Ms Palaszczuk said the in-depth ­submission answered all of the commonwealth’s questions and challenged Mr Morrison to ­support the pitch.

“We are only trying to help solve a problem affecting the whole country,” Ms Palaszczuk said. “This is something people want, they see the sense of it. Why won’t the Prime Minister support it, is it because it’s in Queensland? We have sent him a comprehensive proposal. Every question is answered.”

The Wellcamp facility would operate alongside Queensland’s existing hotel quarantine arrangements, which bring in 1300 people a week. For the plan to be viable, it would require two commonwealth repatriation flights carrying a combined total of 400 passengers landing at Wellcamp Airport each week to guarantee an initial supply of patrons.

An open tender process would be held for all airlines to bid for the flights. Defence Force and Border Force would process arrivals airport and monitor compliance with quarantine requirements.

Wagner Corporation would cover infrastructure services and utilities.

The Queensland government would be responsible for providing security, health services, infection control, transport to and from the camp and command of the facility. Initially there would be 1000 rooms, catering for a maximum of 1900 people, but it could be expanded to 8000 rooms.

There would be about 500 single rooms, 300 double rooms, 200 family rooms and 30 rooms for priority staff members.

Most staff would live offsite but would have dedicated facilities for eating and changing before and after shifts. Best practice infection control methods would be used to bring new patrons into the camp and to ensure there is no crossover between guests and staff. It is expected about 120 Queensland Health workers and 70 security staff would be required each day.

Any person who tested positive for Covid-19 would be taken to a tertiary hospital in Brisbane, the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast.

Speaking after national cabinet, Mr Morrison said he had concluded a memorandum of understanding with the Victorian government to “develop a new quarantine facility in Melbourne”.

He said the commonwealth would meet the capital costs of the facility and the Victorian government would meet the operational costs and run the facility. Victoria’s Acting Premier James ­Merlino said a memorandum had been signed by the two governments, but he clarified that no location had been determined for the new facility.

Avalon is the Morrison government’s preferred site because of the comparatively shorter distance from an airport. Arrivals would be able to walk to the facility, potentially reducing the risk of infection-control errors. The Mickleham facility is about a 15-­minute drive from Tullamarine, Melbourne’s main airport. Both sites are on commonwealth land.

“This is a very, very good outcome for Victorians and for all Australians,’’ Mr Merlino said.

Additional reporting: Geoff Chambers