‘Very disappointing:’ Torres Strait leaders slam Warren Entsch’s jab for billionaire donor mate

Torres Strait leaders blast Warren Entsch’s move to fast-track a donor’s Pfizer jab on Thursday Island as ‘very disappointing’.

Federal LNP MP Warren Entsch in federal parliament last week, after learning the Crime and Corruption Commission in Queensland had been asked to investigate allegations regarding him organising a Pfizer jab for a donor on the Torres Strait. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Torres Strait leaders slammed as “very disappointing” federal Liberal MP Warren Entsch’s move to fast-track a donor’s Pfizer jab on Thursday Island, and demanded an independent inquiry into broader issues plaguing the remote health service.

The Australian revealed this month that Mr Entsch had organised for billionaire Soviet-born property developer Alex Sekler to fly to Thursday Island – accompanied by one of Mr Entsch’s taxpayer-funded electorate officers – to get a Covid jab in July 2021, when he was ineligible for Pfizer.

Queensland Health has referred the matter to the state’s Crime and Corruption Commission for investigation.

Asked about the incident on Monday, Torres Strait Regional Authority chair Napau Pedro Stephen said he was disappointed.

“My actual response is that I’m very disappointed, but that does happen, it’s not the first time,” Mr Stephen said.

In his second term as chair of the federal body, Mr Stephen said it was the region’s aspiration to have a Torres model of healthcare, so locals “actually own that service, so we deliver that service as well”.

Torres Strait Regional Authority chairman Napau Pedro Stephen

Torres Shire Mayor Yen Loban, who was elected in 2020 and is based on Thursday Island, agreed, and said he was also disappointed with the behaviour.

“For too long, the Torres Strait Islander death rates are increasing, not decreasing; we need a big inquiry into it,” Mr Loban said.

In July 2021, the rollout of the Covid vaccination program was still in its early stages, Pfizer doses were in short supply nationwide, and the federal and state governments were trying to prioritise the Torres Strait, because of the risk posed by its proximity to Papua New Guinea.

Mr Sekler lived in Cairns at the time and was aged over 60, so was not eligible to receive his preferred vaccine brand, Pfizer.

The property developer – who later donated $304,000 to the LNP to fund the majority of Mr Entsch’s successful 2022 election campaign – has not responded to questions from The Australian.

Mr Entsch has angrily denied any “quid pro quo arrangement” with Mr Sekler, and insisted that when he rang Torres Strait health authorities on Mr Sekler’s behalf, he was told anyone who presented could be vaccinated.

“There are no favours, I can assure you of that … absolute unadulterated nonsense,” Mr Entsch said when asked by The Australian in an interview this month about facilitating the jab.

“There was no conditions on anything that he asked me to do, or I offered to do for him, absolutely no inducements or suggestions otherwise.”

Violetta Sekler and Alex Sekler with Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation chair Dr Ken Chapman (centre) after donating $650,000 to the foundation’s coronavirus equipment appeal in 2020.

Mr Loban, Mr Stephen and Torres Strait Island Regional Council Mayor Philemon Mosby wrote to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in May, calling for an independent coronial inquiry into the healthcare system in the region.

They alleged Queensland Health was “directly responsible for neglecting” the health of Torres Strait Islanders and sparking a “high prevalence of avoidable death rates in epidemic numbers”.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman has announced a Queensland Health review of the situation, and said she would travel to the Torres Strait within weeks. Opposition Leader David Crisafulli, standing alongside Mr Loban and Mr Stephen, said “there must be an independent inquiry into the provision of health services here”.

“It cannot be an inside job,” Mr Crisafulli said.

Torres and Cape Health and Hospital Service chief executive Beverley Hamerton resigned abruptly last week. It is understood Ms Hamerton was not involved in Mr Sekler receiving the jab on Thursday Island.