Airport coronavirus quarantine talks still up in the air
The federal government says it is still waiting on a ‘formal proposal’ from the Palaszczuk government for a privately built camp to house international arrivals in quarantine.
The federal government says it is still waiting on a “formal proposal” from the Palaszczuk government detailing operational plans to use a privately built workers camp to house international arrivals in quarantine.
Annastacia Palaszczuk was frustrated by the claim on Tuesday, saying it was “ridiculous” and Scott Morrison should “get on with it” and approve the use of the facility near Toowoomba, 125km west of Brisbane, to reduce the risk of the virus infecting hotel quarantine workers and spreading into the community.
The Premier is awaiting commonwealth approval for planes arriving into Queensland from overseas to land at the Wellcamp airport, from where they would be shuttled to purpose-built 1000-room quarantine accommodation nearby. The airport is owned and operated by the family-run Wagner Corporation, which has submitted a pitch to build the 1000-room accommodation facility at its own cost.
A federal government spokesman on Tuesday said the Prime Minister’s office was still seeking basic information about the state’s proposal, first raised a month ago. “No formal proposal has been received,” he said.
“We are happy to work with the Queensland government on assessing their proposal, but we require more information.”
The assertion infuriated Ms Palaszczuk. “This is just ridiculous,” she said at a press conference. “The departments are talking at length about these issues and it makes logical sense and the federal government should just get on with it.
“It’s all about whether the federal government is going to allow international flights to land there.
“The point is to make it safe for everyone, to make it safe for the community, safe for the returning travellers and … safe for the workers.”
A federal government source said the Prime Minister’s Department and Premier’s Department met on Thursday to discuss gaps in the state’s submission, but important questions remained unanswered. The source said the state’s pitch had been conveyed in “bullet points” and was not enough for the commonwealth to justify commitment of resources. “The federal government is open to the use of the Australian Federal Police and Border Force and federal resources being used but cannot commit those resources without knowing how all this will work,” the source said.
“The government is still open to it but we need more information on it.”
Last week, the federal government said one key issue remaining unresolved was how and where guests who tested positive for COVID-19 would be medically treated.
Ms Palaszczuk said patients with the virus would go to Brisbane via ambulance.
The federal government has already rejected a proposal to quarantine returned travellers at a mining camp near Gladstone.
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