Clive Berghofer slams decision to open a Covid quarantine hub at Wellcamp

Clive Berghofer has responded to the Queensland Government’s decision to move forward on the Wellcamp Covid quarantine hub and he is furious.

Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport open day. Will Power (left) with Toowoomba businessman Clive Berghofer. Photo: Bev Lacey / The Chronicle

Clive Berghofer has spent the past six months campaigning against the proposed Covid quarantine hub at Wellcamp but despite his money, political clout and 6000 signature-strong petition that project is going ahead.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and John Wagner announced that construction of the hub would start today.

The Wagner Corporation is expecting to open its 1000 bed facility by the end of the year.

It was modelled on the Howard Springs Facility in the Northern Territory.

“It’s a kick in the arse for Toowoomba,” Mr Berghofer said.

“We will become the scapegoat for Queensland.

“The state wants the hub in Toowoomba because it takes the monkey off their backs.”

The Wagner Corporation has started work on it Covid quarantine hub at Wellcamp Airport.

Key among Mr Berghofer’s concerns is the perception that the hub would pose a community health risk and lead to reduced migration to the region.

Within an hour of the announcement Mr Berghofer said he was contacted by two supporters who said they would move away from the city.

“We have heaps of people coming up from Victoria and New South Wales to get away from the virus and here we have a quarantine station in Toowoomba,” he said.

“They are not going to come to Toowoomba.”

While work on the hub has already started the details on how it will operate are vague.

It is understood staff will stay at the centre in a two-week-on-two-weeks-off type of arrangement.

Any patients in quarantine at the centre who need acute care will be flown or driven to Brisbane Hospitals, circumventing the Toowoomba Hospital.

Wagner Corporation will pay for construction of the temporary facility and Queensland Health will run it.

It will go ahead without support from the Federal Government.