Push for coronavirus hospital in Queensland bush
The Palaszczuk government would set up Australia’s first COVID-dedicated hospital in Gladstone as part of its proposed plans to quarantine international travellers in regional camps.
The Palaszczuk government would set up Australia’s first COVID-dedicated hospital in Gladstone as part of its proposed plans to quarantine international travellers in regional workers camps.
National cabinet will discuss the Queensland government’s proposal on Friday, with Annastacia Palaszczuk and Scott Morrison separately meeting in Brisbane to negotiate federal approvals needed for it to go ahead.
Ms Palaszczuk has flagged using a 1400-room workers camp outside Gladstone as a quarantine centre after a cleaner at a quarantine hotel in Brisbane this month was infected with the highly infectious British variant of the virus, prompting a three-day lockdown of the capital.
On a four-day visit to Queensland, Mr Morrison on Thursday said there were legitimate concerns over the use of regional workers camps to house possibly infectious travellers.
After initially saying he was open to the idea last week, Mr Morrison said the Queensland government’s proposal had concerned locals, including the city’s Labor mayor, Matt Burnett, with whom he met for dinner on Wednesday night.
“I spoke to a lot of people overnight as well and I think there are clear concerns here in Gladstone for a lot of quite sensible reasons,” Mr Morrison said.
“For something like that to even be considered I think the Premier would have to get the local Labor mayor on board for a start, and I don’t think that’s happening at this point.”
The Prime Minister suggested the central Queensland city would need to gain some benefit out of the situation, which could be through allowing additional intake of seasonal workers from overseas to fill job shortages in the agriculture sector.
Mr Morrison said locals were worried the virus could spread from the quarantine camp and affect workers in the region’s resources industry.
“I think there are also concerns that people up here don’t want to see Brisbane’s problems dumped on the north,” Mr Morrison said.
Queensland’s Chief Health Officer, Jeannette Young, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath and Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll inspected the Gladstone camp, located near Calliope.
A senior government source said Ms Palaszczuk needed federal government approval to allow international passenger flights to land at the Rockhampton airport, before passengers would then be ferried by bus to the workers camp for quarantine.
Under the proposal, any arrivals who tested positive for the virus would be taken to hospital, as is the current practice.
Sources have told The Australian the government plans to use the Mater Private Hospital in Gladstone, which it bought last year, as a dedicated COVID medical facility.
“It’s a very good facility in terms of infection control, with separate rooms with ensuites,” the source said.
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