Covid Qld: Premier defends keeping PM in dark

As restrictions are eased across southeast Queensland, the Premier has doubled down in defence of her controversial quarantine plan.

Annastacia Palaszczuk has stood by her plan to go it alone with the Toowoomba quarantine site as she defended her decision to not inform the Prime Minister about the move before it was announced.

It came as a number of restrictions in the state’s southeast were eased yesterday, but masks will still be a requirement for at least another two weeks – including for high school students.

The Premier yesterday insisted her decision to go it alone with the quarantine site at Toowoomba’s Wellcamp Airport did not reflect disunity in national cabinet, as she declared she was both a Queenslander and an Australian first.

Quizzed about why she had not told Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the move to go ahead with the facility before announcing it at a press conference, Ms Palaszczuk said: “Well, he doesn’t tell me a lot of things he does either. I’m an Australian. I’m a Queenslander. I’m the Premier of Queensland. I back Queensland every single step of the way.”

Asked if she had approached airlines about landing international flights in Toowoomba, Ms Palaszczuk said: “I don’t personally have to approach them.

“I’m quite sure that charter flights are allowed to land into any international airport,” she said, as she pointed to how a Cathay Pacific flight had flown in to the airport when she visited on Thursday.

The Australian Medical Association Queensland said yesterday it wanted more clarity about how the quarantine facility would work.

“While we support investment in purpose-built quarantine facilities, we must be guided by the local medical community on how these centres operate and how they will be supported medically,” AMAQ president Professor Chris Perry said.

Queensland recorded no new locally acquired Covid-19 cases on Friday – marking about 20 days since a case was active in the community – while one case was detected in hotel quarantine.

Several restrictions across the southeast were also eased as of 4pm yesterday, with up to 100 people now allowed to gather at homes, while dancing is permitted again at entertainment venues.

Restaurants, pubs, clubs and cafes are now allowed to cater to one person per 2sq m, and stadiums and theatres can fill up to 100 per cent capacity.

But masks are here to stay for at least another two weeks, including for high school students, with the Premier revealing the measure would be reviewed on a fortnightly basis.

“This is an added protection for us,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“I really want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can in case we do get that outbreak.”

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the NSW government had approached the Queensland government about reducing the impact of border closures for communities on the border.

Originally published as Covid Qld: Premier defends keeping PM in dark