{"id":269808,"date":"2020-08-04T18:37:58","date_gmt":"2020-08-04T08:37:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=269808"},"modified":"2020-08-04T21:05:23","modified_gmt":"2020-08-04T11:05:23","slug":"no-more-passes-for-diplomats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2020\/08\/04\/no-more-passes-for-diplomats\/","title":{"rendered":"No More Passes For Diplomats"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (Photo: Twitter)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

August 4, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced Queensland will ensure consular and diplomatic staff returning from overseas or from interstate hotspots will go into hotel quarantine.<\/p>\n

The announcement follows the recent revelation that a security worker returning from Afghanistan was allowed to drive home to self-quarantine in Toowoomba.<\/p>\n

The Premier said she would like a nationally consistent approach “but we just can\u2019t wait”.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce again, Queensland will go it alone to protect Queenslanders,\u201d the Premier said.<\/p>\n

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said she would act immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis exemption is a problem. We\u2019ve seen that in Queensland this week,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cA person was able to arrive in Queensland from overseas on a consular exemption, and he had COVID-19.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am very grateful to this person \u2013 he did all the right things \u2013 but he was granted an exemption from hotel quarantine.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can no longer allow this. With the high cases overseas, the risk is simply too high.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Young said from Wednesday, exemptions to hotel quarantine would only be granted in extremely extenuating circumstances, in line with current arrangements for anyone entering Queensland from overseas or a hotspot.<\/p>\n

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