Qld borders: Comment exposes Queensland’s double standards
In an extraordinary admission, Queensland authorities revealed why celebrities like Tom Hanks are allowed in while grieving families aren’t.
Despite cries of double standards, Queensland authorities have revealed why celebrities like Tom Hanks are allowed into the state while grieving families aren’t.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and other senior federal government figures have strongly criticised the state after Queensland let in hundreds of AFL officials and stars like Tom Hanks, while families needing treatment or wanting to say goodbye to their loved ones were turned away.
Outrage hit fever pitch yesterday, when Queensland health officials refused to allow Canberra woman Sarah Caisip, 26, out of hotel quarantine to attend her father’s funeral in Brisbane.
After pressure from the Prime Minister, she was granted permission to see her father in his coffin but under police guard and without any family present.
The Federal Government has outlined around 40 cases where ordinary Aussie families have been hit by the border restrictions, despite there being an urgent need for them travel.
They include parents separated from their newborn son for days, a woman seeking follow-up appointments for her breast cancer surgery and a man who wished to farewell his mother before she died.
Despite this, 400 AFL staff, executives and families were controversially given permission to dodge the strict Queensland border lockdown and were put up in a luxury hotel.
Celebrities like Tom Hanks have also been allowed to circumvent the rules. He was allowed to self-isolate at a resort of his choice rather than follow the usual process.
Now, for the first time, Queensland’s chief health officer – who solely has the power to grant exemptions – has revealed why some people are treated differently.
And it all comes down to one word - money.
Jeannette Young said there were economic reasons for allowing film stars to pass into the state because “we need every single dollar in our state”.
https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/health-safety/we-need-every-dollar-comment-exposes-queenslands-double-standards/news-story/a664722df8e69d1f61e1416ea6452888