Marches showed Premier’s double standards in action

THIRTY thousand people in close proximity is tolerated by this government but the opening of our state borders is not.

Thirty thousand people protesting “black lives matter” broke the law, placing themselves and others at risk – not to mention any resulting breakout of COVID-19 may require another tightening of restrictions.

What happened to the sergeant major demeanour of Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, the seemingly military-style leadership qualities, the authoritarian risk management she tried so hard to project? Did she have a Pontius Pilate epiphany and consider the political risk above health authority warnings, turning her head aside and washing her hands of the potential outcome? I wonder. The threat of a fine should have been clearly spelt out by the Premier before the protest. That would have shown the resolve and leadership required of her.

There is another protest going on. It is conducted within the rules and regulations stipulated by health authorities and until now, backed by this government.

No mass march, no breaking of laws, just pleading their case to the point of begging.

Gold Coast business and their employees are drowning in a sea of economic turmoil because their customers, their livelihood are locked out of our state. At least in opening our borders the restrictions to address COVID-19 would still apply while business and workers got back to earning a living and restructuring our broken economy. We all know how desperately Queensland needs it.

However you look at it, our Premier failed to back up her resolve to implement basic COVID-19 restrictions. She compounded it further by having Minister Kate Jones pass the responsibility to the police in saying it was their decision not to arrest or fine protesters.

Our Premier has done this before. Remember Adani. Our Premier passed the responsibility for delays to her department saying she had a “gutful” of them delaying the project.

Well the buck stops with her and as Big Brother would say, “It’s time to go ... Annastacia.”

BOB JANSSEN, GOLD COAST