SCHOOLIES IN A QUANDARY

The Palaszczuk Government clearly has no idea what to do about Schoolies.

In a way it is understandable – and the State Government shows it actually has a good understanding of the essentially organic nature of the event, when in response to this newspaper’s queries on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said: “While the government does not organise Schoolies any more than it organises Christmas, it is very carefully considering its response to the event. The Palaszczuk Government will have more to say about this matter soon.”

That is one hundred per cent correct. The State Government does not organise Schoolies – though importantly it does however each year help with a safety response to the event.

But the problem with Schoolies in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic is that right now, with no one officially organising it, no one is taking responsibility for it either. Not the State Government, not bookings site provider Schoolies.com and not Surfers Paradise accommodation providers who are wondering what to do about groups of teenagers wanting to book units for certain dates in November.

Ms Palaszczuk, to her credit, has it on the agenda of talks with Mayor Tom Tate and no doubt her Chief Medical Officer Dr Jeannette Young. But anything resembling a response to the influx is yet to be revealed.

The Schoolies are coming, that much is clear. Maybe not from Victoria or NSW with the way things stand.

But there is nothing stopping Queensland graduates booking accommodation in the middle of the Glitter Strip in a bid to let their hair down and celebrate a rite-ofpassage that many tens of thousands indulge in annually.

Telling them they can’t is akin to cancelling tourism.

As Ms Palaszczuk’s office said in this newspaper today: “Any Queenslander holidaying anywhere in our great state, no matter their age or the reason, must ensure they follow rules and regulations to help stop the spread of COVID-19.”

Try telling that to a bunch of hyperactive, intoxicated teenagers who have just finished off a severely impacted final year of schooling and are ready to let off some steam.

Not only that, current rules allow for up to 30 people inside dwellings while restrictions on licensed premises will see plenty roaming Cavill Mall and the beachfront.

A response is going to be necessary. At this stage the do-gooder volunteer group Red Frogs are aiming to be on deck but they can’t do it by themselves.

A lot of resources are typically poured into the health and safety response to Schoolies – and for good reason.

You only need to consider the death of a teenager each of the past two years to understand how critical it is. The health and safety response, including mobile medical attention tents on the Surfers Paradise beachfront, has no doubt prevented many more.

But it can’t just be left to fall to the police and Gold Coast Health to pick up the pieces. A co-ordinated state-level response and clarity on its stance to Schoolies must be forthcoming soon.