March 26, 2021
Whether a quarantine hotel will be built at Wellcamp Airport depends on Federal Government support, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Friday.
In response to a question on notice from LNP Member for Toowoomba North Trevor Watts, the Premier said the Queensland and Federal governments were undertaking a feasibility assessment of a joint national quarantine facility at Wellcamp Airport, Toowoomba.
“The Queensland Government is currently seeking assurances from the Federal Government over several threshold issues for the proposed Wellcamp Airport facility, including the Federal Government’s facilitation of direct international flights into the airport and a commitment to provide the necessary resources and support to safely operate the proposed national quarantine facility,” Premier Palaszczuk said.
“The quarantine facility will only work if it is a joint initiative between the Federal and State governments.
“If the facility progresses, its operational guidelines will be based on the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee’s National Hotel Quarantine Principles, recommendations from the Halton National Review of Hotel Quarantine, and the operational guidelines, policies and procedures that underpin Queensland’s existing hotel quarantine system.”
The Premier said that if the quarantine facility progressed, an infection control management plan for the facility would be developed, based on best national and Queensland practices.
“This will consider the adequacy of Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service facilities to provide health services to the facility including to those who have tested positive to the virus,” she said.
“The highest priority of the Queensland Government is the health, safety and wellbeing of the community. This has guided the Government’s holistic response to the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to guide the decisions about establishing regional quarantine facilities.
“The Federal Government needs to advise whether they will support a regional quarantine facility in Queensland or not.”
A e-petition organised by Toowoomba businessman Clive Berghofer against the Wellcamp quarantine plan had attracted 5902 signatures by Friday evening.
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