CRUEL TRAVEL RULES STRAND SICK BABY
THE Palaszczuk government is insisting a Queensland family trapped in Sydney with a sick baby split up to quarantine in Brisbane rather than allow them to take up a charity’s offer to fly them to their remote property to isolate at home.
The case is the latest example of state officials refusing to accommodate special needs despite the family’s mother asking the government to “show a bit of thought and compassion”.
Jessie Evans, her partner Billy Blacker and their four-month-old son Rocka, who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1, drove to Sydney last month from Jandowae, near Dalby, so Rocka could have treatment at the Sydney Children’s Hospital.
While they planned to ask for an exemption to drive back home, Queensland Health officials have told them they must fly home via Brisbane and quarantine in hotels and hospitals.
This is despite charity group Angel Flight’s offer to fly them to an airstrip near their home.
This means that Jessie and Rocka will still be forced to isolate at a local hospital in Brisbane for two weeks while Billy stays in hotel quarantine at the family’s expense, costing them precious time together as a family.
“We just want to get home safely — we are doing this all for Rocka,’’ Jessie said. “We have all had negative Covid tests and, because he is immunocompromised, the longer we stay here or go through airports the more we are putting him at risk of catching something.
“I want the government to show a bit of thought and compassion.”