‘Bubble’ not best plan
IT’S interesting – but not surprising – that the premier and local state Labor MPS have suddenly backflipped and are considering isolating North Queensland in a “Tourism Bubble” (“Bubble boost – MPS shift stance on COVID plan”, TB 26/5).
They now admit North Queensland is different from the South East (hallelujah!) and needs its restrictions eased to help the economy reopen.
Why the sudden change of heart?
One would have to assume it’s because the South East puppet masters already had this plan in train.
It’s 57 days since a letter, now signed by more than 200 medical professionals and local businesses leaders, was sent to the Queensland premier calling for the urgent implementation of regional management zones.
Why have the premier and her local MPS failed to act on this reasonable, commonsense plan?
According to figures released by Townsville Enterprise, the region has lost $707 million in tourism-related revenue alone.
Also according to Townsville Enterprise, tourism supports about 6.6 per cent of employment in North Queensland.
There are tens of thousands of other jobs across nontourism-related industries that have been lost or diminished due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North Queensland.
The economic cost is enormous.
Ultimately, unless we see the implementation of regional management zones, which will ease restrictions on business operations, a purely distancerelated “bubble” will not help many North Queensland businesses which are hovering on the brink of permanent closure.
It’s now more than 50 days since the last confirmed case of coronavirus was diagnosed in Townsville on April 7.
That’s three and a half 14-day incubation periods – nearly double what the chief health officer said would be needed for restrictions to ease.
The road map to easing Queensland COVID-19 restrictions should be implemented more quickly in those regions that have had zero to no community transmission, in line with a timeline which is indicative of that region’s COVID-FREE period.
We have small businesses across the North sitting all but empty and a “Tourism Bubble” is not going to change that.
It is one piece of a much larger puzzle and I would encourage Townsville Enterprise, the local Labor MPS and the Queensland premier to reconsider their support of regional management zones as a matter of urgency to give our region, its businesses and people a real shot at surviving this pandemic.
PHILLIP THOMPSON
OAM MP, Federal Member for
Herbert.