Coronavirus: Nothing so votesome as a truck of free beer for Annastacia Palaszczuk

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was on hand as kegs full of free beer left the XXXX brewery for the outback.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Agricultural Industry Development Minister Mark Furner, right, see off the kegs. Picture: Liam Kidston

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has made sure she takes every opportunity to gain the full political advantage of the further easing of restrictions to stop the spread of coronavirus by being on hand on Wednesday as kegs full of free beer left the famous XXXX brewery in Milton bound for pubs in the state’s outback.

The stunt was aimed at drawing attention to the government’s decision to allow outback pubs and cafes to reopen for up to 20 locals at a time from this weekend.

Clad in a fluoro vest, the Premier posed for the cameras in front of a truck carrying 60 kegs to be delivered free to pubs and clubs in Roma, Barcaldine, Ilfracombe, Longreach, Dulacca, Yuleba, Wallumbilla, Mungallala and Blackall. “Pubs and clubs are the heart and soul of communities right across our Sunshine State — but particularly in outback towns which have already been hit so hard by drought in recent years,” she said.

The Queensland government has faced criticism for insisting that outback and regional centres that have had no cases of COVID-19 needed to follow the same lockdown restrictions being imposed on the state’s larger urban areas.

However, while city-based pubs and restaurants will be allowed to have up to 10 patrons at a time from Friday, outback businesses will be able to have double the number of customers.

Outback residents will also be able to travel up to 500km from their homes from this weekend while other Queenslanders will be limited to travel within a 150km ­radius.

A 10-person limit will apply to gatherings in Queensland parks, pools and lagoons and restrictions on funeral attendances will be eased to a maximum of 20 people indoors and 30 people outdoors.