No more delays in reopening

GOVERNMENT red tape that is holding our region back.

How much clearer do our tourism operators need to be with their plan to reopen the North and revitalise an industry struck down by COVID-19?

It was a mere fortnight ago that Townsville Enterprise Limited and key business stakeholders in Townsville were part of a meeting with Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young.

What was not said at that meeting that needs to now be submitted to the CHO?

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk knows what our tourism and hospitality businesses are asking for. She knows what the plan is to reopen our region.

There is nothing more that can be written in a formal submission that has not already been clearly laid out by TEL and its regional tourism partners.

There is a feeling that this is just an opportunity to lead our businesses into a bureaucratic roundabout that seemingly has no off-ramp.

North Queenslanders have been great in the fight against COVID-19. We have adopted the safe distancing models, we have abided by restrictions.

For some it has meant entering a financial void that there is no escaping.

For others it has meant closing businesses that they have given their life to.

While it may be too late for those businesses, it is not for countless others in the region. But it soon will be.

The world is in the midst of a global pandemic unlike any we have seen, and we understand the health risk. This isn’t about carelessly throwing open the doors and just hoping for the best.

While condemning the commentary from our tourism operators and in particular Burdekin MP Dale Last, Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper suggested that those who push to reopen the region earlier will not take responsibility for it if things go wrong.

But it is not their duty to take sole responsibility. It is up to all of us to take responsibility. We could have a potential spike in cases and we need to be prepared for that and our hospitals will be. But we can’t stay locked up forever.