Grandma forced to recover from brain surgery in a Queensland quarantine hotel after being denied exemption fumes after 400 AFL bigwigs from virus-ravaged Melbourne were given special treatment
- Jayne Brown recently returned to Queensland after major operation in Sydney
- Requested medical exemption from the mandatory hotel quarantine but denied
- She's furious after AFL officials from coronavirus-riddled Victoria entered state
- Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk accused of giving special treatment to celebs
A Queensland grandmother forced to recover from brain surgery in a quarantine hotel is furious AFL officials have been exempt from strict quarantine rules.
Jayne Brown, 60, spent two weeks confined to a tiny hotel room in Brisbane following her recent return from Sydney, where renowned neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo removed two large tumours on her brain.
The grandmother-of-seven requested an exemption from hotel quarantine to self-isolate at home on the Sunshine Coast, but was rejected twice.
She blasted Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who allowed 400 AFL players and officials from coronavirus-riddled Victoria to enter the state on Tuesday night.
Jayne Brown (pictured) was denided an exemption to self-isolate at her Sunshine Coast home
'I don't understand it, mind-blowing,' Ms Brown told Nine News.
She was rushed to Sydney last month to undergo the life-saving surgery to remove two tumours on her brain.
The tumours may have left her blind or paralysed if untreated.
Not even a letter from Dr Teo himself could convince Queensland officials to change their mind and allow Ms Brown and her husband to isolate at their home.
Instead, she struggled through hotel confinement in agony unable to walk and limited access to pain relief.
'I was in a wheelchair, I couldn't walk, my right leg was compromised, it was numb, it was weak, I couldn't stand on it,' she said.
'I wasn't well at all and got shuffled into a five-by-five hotel room and just left there.'
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Jayne Brown decribed the decision to allow 400 AFL officials into Queensland as mindblowing
The Sunshine Coast grandmother struggled with being confined to a tiny room for 14 days
AFL chief executive Gil McLachlan was among the 400 officials and family members who flew to the Gold Coast on Tuesday ahead of the code's announcement the Gabba in Brisbane will host the grand final on October 24.
While Queensland recorded two new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, Victoria had 90 new infections and six more deaths.
AFL officials and their families will still need to undergo hotel quarantine after flying into the state.
But they are free to leave their room and use the pool and bar amenities, unlike other quarantine guests solely confined to their rooms.
While others who enter the state from virus hotspot Victoria must spend 14 days of hotel quarantine confinement, McLachlan fronted the media at the quarantine hub overlooking a golf course less than 24 hours after he crossed the strict state borders.
Ms Brown was forced to fork out $2,800 for her hotel quarantine on top of the $100,000 cost of her surgery.
While others who cross the border must undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine confinement, AFL boss Gil McLachlan (pictured) fronted the media hours after he flew in from Melbourne
She accused the state government of double standards when it comes to granting exceptions.
The Masked Singer judge Dannii Minogue was granted a medical exemption to self-isolate at her Gold Coast home after the star returned from Los Angeles in July.
'We've applied for an exemption for exceptional circumstances and we've been knocked back,' Ms Brain recently told the Sunshine Coast Daily.
'If major brain surgery's not exceptional circumstances, I don't know what is.'
'We wouldn't do anything silly, we just want to get me better. Besides celebrities and footballers, no one's got a chance.'
Jayne Brown, 60, (right) was rushed to Sydney after renowned neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo (left) said the growths could leave her blind or paralysed
After Ms Brown underwent her operation she applied for an exemption to hotel quarantine so she could recover at home. Pictured is her stitches after the operation
Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg slammed Ms Palaszczuk, accusing her of favouring sporting stars over desperate families needing to cross the border for medical reasons.
'I think the Queensland Premier has got some questions to answer here,' he told A Current Affair on Wednesday night.
'How can it be okay for people to go up to prepare for a footy game, and its not okay to go to hospital for treatment?'
Mr Frydenberg referenced several tragic examples of New South Wales locals not receiving access to the Sunshine State during the pandemic.
'How can it be okay that a young woman loses an unborn child because of border confusion... that a four-year-old boy with cancer can be separated from his mother?' Mr Frydenberg said.
'These are cruel and confused implications from these strict border approaches... I think everyone needs to get a grip here and remember that we're first and last Australians.'
Queenland Premier Annastacia Palaszczukm (pictured at the Gabba on Wednesday) has copped widespread backlash over the decision to allow 400 AFL officials to cross the border
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian hit out at Queensland's leader for her ongoing restrictions, saying she needs to show 'a bit of compassion'.
Her poor relationship with Ms Palaszczuk is an open secret and even she admitted it was fraught to Ben Fordham Live on 2GB on Wednesday morning.
'I've tried to establish a positive relationship, but it's a bit difficult when decisions are made without even telling us,' Ms Berejiklian said.
- Coronaviruhttps://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-queensland-border-no-exemption-brain-tumour-patient-afl-grand-final/03d0eb0d-e7f0-4d36-b2d3-cbeafebcef3cs: Brain tumour patient refused border exemption but Queensland welcomes AFL boss
- Mum in ‘ridiculous’ hotel quarantine after brain surgery | Sunshine Coast Daily
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