Qld premier tones down spat over PCR tests
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says she looks forward to working with the federal government, a day after claiming it wanted to "give Queenslanders COVID for Christmas".
She struck a conciliatory note on Thursday after a six-day feud over who would fork out for the PCR tests needed by fully vaccinated domestic travellers to enter Queensland once 80 per cent of residents are fully vaccinated.
The spat ended on Tuesday night when federal Health Minister Greg Hunt clarified tests for domestic travel would be free after the state government confirmed it would accept a text message as proof of a result.
Ms Palaszczuk made the claim about Christmas on Wednesday afternoon, moments after saying the border "politics has to stop".
On Thursday, she waved away a journalist's persistent questions on PCR tests, saying she had previously addressed the matter.
"I look forward to working co-operatively with the federal government," Ms Palaszczuk told reporters in Cairns.
"We've got a national cabinet meeting coming up soon and everyone needs to work together."
The premier was clearly keen to move on from her bitter feud with the Morrison government, which had played out in the media over the previous seven days.
As the state prepares to scrap quarantine for vaccinated domestic travellers, possibly within two weeks, Ms Palaszczuk defended a decision earlier this week to delay banning unvaccinated people from venues until December 17.
Originally the plan was to implement the ban once the state hits 80 per cent vaccination coverage, or December 17 at the latest.
The latest figures show 85.01 per cent of eligible Queenslanders have had one vaccine dose, with 74.07 per cent fully vaccinated.
However, Queensland is set to hit 80 per cent earlier than that date with the premier saying setting a clear date would make it easier for businesses to plan for the change.
"So business wanted certainty and they wanted a date they could work towards, and we have given them that date of the 17th of December," Ms Palaszczuk said.
However, she was unable to provide any further information on the testing requirements for NSW border-zone travellers once the 80 per cent target is hit.
Currently, vaccinated Queenslanders and NSW border-bubble zone residents are allowed to cross for the essential purposes of work, healthcare, volunteering, caregiving or education without any test requirements.
The government has previously suggested Queenslanders and NSW border-bubble zone residents may not need to be tested if they are entering or returning to Queensland on essential purpose trips, and tests may not be needed for non-essential border-zone day trips.
Ms Palaszczuk said the proposed border-zone rules were still being considered without indicating when they would be announced.
"We are currently looking at that border bubble," she said.
Queensland recorded no new local cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and three new cases in unvaccinated Victorians in hotel quarantine.
