MPs to sit despite ACT Covid-19 case increase

Federal parliament is to sit next week despite 67 Covid-19 cases in the nation’s capital and 12,500 Canberrans in quarantine.

ACT senator Katy Gallagher. Picture: Sam Mooy

Federal parliament is to sit next week despite 67 Covid-19 cases in the nation’s capital and 12,500 Canberrans in quarantine.

On Wednesday the territory recorded 22 locally acquired cases as Labor Senator Katy Gallagher revealed she was in isolation after her teenage daughter had tested positive and became “pretty unwell” with the virus.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr had previously urged Scott Morrison to reconsider next week’s scheduled sitting in light of the outbreak, but on Wednesday flagged the government was working out how parliament could proceed safely.

“I understand it would be absolutely limited numbers,” he said. “Most MPs would be dialling in remotely. There would be almost no one within Parliament House.”

It is believed the decision to go ahead was made in consultation with Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly and the presiding officers.

Senator Gallagher said on Sky News on Wednesday that she felt Australia had failed the nation’s young people over the vaccine rollout and she had concerns her 16-year-old son, who is unvaccinated and quarantining at home, could catch the virus.

Senator Gallagher, who chairs the parliamentary committee scrutinising the government’s handling of the pandemic, said she felt let down.

“It’s a mix of your normal emotional responses as a mother wanting to care for and protect the children, and a fair dose of anger, to be honest, that it’s come to this,” Senator Gallagher said.

“We did so well last year, and yet we’ve got millions in lockdown today and for me, my little girl’s lying in bed trying to fight off a really nasty virus and my son’s in the next room and I’m desperately hoping he’s not going to catch it.”

Senator Gallagher said teenagers needed to be vaccinated but there was still no plan to immunise younger cohorts.

All new infections in the ACT have been linked to known cases, while the list of “self-identified contacts” has grown to more than 10,000 residents. Despite all cases being linked Mr Barr said the lockdown would remain in place.

“Anyone who looks at the NSW numbers today, and what has been occurring there, would be very clear that now is not the time at this stage of our outbreak to be easing restrictions,” he said.

The ACT has also tightened its border with NSW, placing additional facilities on the Queanbeyan side of the ACT border.

On Tuesday 8417 tests were conducted, with almost 25,000 tests taken since the lockdown began. Health officials said 6 per cent of the ACT population had accessed a Covid test.

Mr Barr said work was underway to support businesses struggling in the lockdown.