PREMIER CALLS TO BAN EXEMPTIONS
Consular official returns to town with COVID-19
PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk will this week call for consular officials to undertake hotel quarantine after a man returning from Afghanistan became Toowoomba’s first COVID-19 case in four months.
The man, in his 20s, was able to travel from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast, and then to Toowoomba, where he is now in home quarantine.
The man’s wife is also in self quarantine.
“We had a situation where a gentleman flew into Sydney and transferred to the Sunshine Coast,” the Premier said. “I’m going to raise this in National Cabinet, as now is the time for overseas travellers to go into mandatory hotel quarantine.
“There have been some exceptions, but the time is not right for those exemptions.”
Ms Palaszczuk said the community did not need any risks at the moment.
TOOWOOMBA residents have overwhelmingly backed Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s call for a loophole that allowed a man to travel from Afghanistan to Toowoomba, via Sydney and the Sunshine Coast, to close.
Certain consular officials are, at time of print, exempt from having to undertake the mandatory two weeks hotel quarantine when returning to Australia.
The man in his 20s returned to Australia this week, flying from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast, before driving home to Toowoomba, where he tested positive to COVID-19.
“I’m going to raise this in National Cabinet, as now is the time for overseas travellers to go into mandatory hotel quarantine,” the Premier said yesterday.
“There have been some exceptions, but the time is not right for those exemptions.”
A poll of The Chronicle readers showed 96 per cent of respondents agreed with the Premier’s call for the loophole to close.
Groom MP John McVeigh said he had contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) about the incident.
“I understand DFAT will be providing further advice about this specific exemption for diplomats who travel the world from any country,” Dr
McVeigh said.
“There is (currently) an exemption for diplomats around the world to travel freely under the Geneva Convention.
“There is reason to review those exemptions in times of pandemics like COVID-19.
“We need to look at this instance and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Though Dr McVeigh said the man posed little risk to the community.
“Everything is happening as it should happen.” he said.
“Health authorities are very confident about that.”
A Darling Downs Health spokesperson called on residents to be kinder to one another on social media after negative comments aimed at the man.
“We need to remember that our case yesterday is one of our own,” the spokesperson said.