Jabs the only way forward

QUEENSLAND’S post-pandemic economic future is bright but will go to waste if the state doesn’t quickly get Covid-19 vaccination rates up, according to a new report.

One way to get jab rates up nationally, according to the Deloitte report, is to implement “general mandate orders” – a politically sensitive move the firm believes Queensland should make.

But as Queensland’s jab rates continue to lag behind most of the country, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has held off on setting an opening date despite health experts saying a road map could spur people to get vaccinated.

According to Deloitte Access Economic’s latest business outlook report, the Sunshine State has had “great success” in shutting out the virus and this delivered big benefits.

At the same time border closures were hurting Queensland more than other “Covidfree” states.

Economist Chris Richardson, in the report, said jabs were Australia’s ticket out of the pandemic, and if Queensland remained a “laggard”, the positive of the “state’s outlook will quickly dwindle”.