Public Health and Other Legislation (Extension of Expiring Provisions) Amendment Bill 2022

Supports extending COVID-19 public health provisions, praising Queensland's response and the Chief Health Officer's guidance that kept Queenslanders safe.

“We fared so well because all of Queensland has taken the advice from Queensland's Chief Health Officer. What fantastic chief health officers we in this state have had.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Supports the bill, reflecting on Queensland's strong response to COVID-19 with capacity, resources and resolve to protect Queenslanders.

“It is very clear that in Queensland over the past two-plus years we have created the capacity, provided the resources and, most importantly, have shown the resolve.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

As Health Minister, moved the bill to extend COVID-19 emergency powers until 31 October 2022, arguing the pandemic is not over and Queensland needs flexibility to respond to new variants and the upcoming flu season.

“It would be reckless to withdraw all of the measures on one occasion as soon as we ended this wave.”— 2022-03-29View Hansard

Supports the bill to extend public health provisions.

“The bill ensures we can continue to protect Queenslanders.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Opposes the extension of emergency powers.

“The emergency powers should not continue.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

As shadow health minister, acknowledged the need for powers during the pandemic but moved three amendments: shortening the extension to 31 May 2022, requiring public release of health advice, and establishing a parliamentary oversight committee.

“The government should have a vote on why those very things—openness, transparency and accountability—should not apply to them. The truth is that there is not a valid reason that exists.”— 2022-03-29View Hansard

While acknowledging Queenslanders did the right thing during COVID, calls for openness and honesty, supports LNP amendments to require tabling of health advice, argues the situation has changed with 90% vaccination.

“I am calling for this state government to repay the enormous efforts and the commitment made by Queenslanders. I am not calling for anything more than openness and honesty.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Supports the bill's public health provisions.

“The bill protects Queenslanders.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

As chair of the Community Support and Services Committee, supported the bill noting Queensland's lower death toll compared to other states and the need to remain agile in responding to the virus.

“Ultimately and importantly, good governance must be about preventing lives being lost and ensuring at the forefront of decision-making is the health of all Queenslanders.”— 2022-03-29View Hansard

Supports the bill to continue public health protections.

“The bill continues to protect Queenslanders.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Strongly opposes the bill, describing it as giving government 'unlimited and godlike pandemic powers' and criticising vaccine mandates as a 'segregation policy', noting over 1,700 submissions against it including from Human Rights Commission.

“In my 18 years of parliament I have never seen a more destructive abuse of powers that segregates and marginalises a section of our society than this bill allows.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

Raised concerns about human rights impacts and highlighted cases of nurses in his electorate facing termination despite medical exemptions, while supporting the LNP's transparency amendments.

“I hope common sense will prevail as we move to restore Queenslander's faith in our system of government, and we can allow these temporary management provisions to expire in April as we all agreed was the right course of action in August last year.”— 2022-03-29View Hansard

Opposes the extension of emergency powers, calling for transparency on health advice.

“Queenslanders deserve to see the health advice.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Supports the bill's public health provisions.

“The bill protects Queenslanders.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

Supported the bill, noting the importance of protecting vulnerable communities in Cape York and Torres Strait, and thanked the Premier and Chief Health Officer for their strong leadership.

“We knew that it would be only a matter of time before COVID came knocking on our door, and that it did. Communities in Cape York and Torres Strait were deemed the most vulnerable communities.”— 2022-03-29View Hansard

Supports the bill to continue protecting Queenslanders.

“The bill continues to protect Queenslanders.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Opposes the extension of emergency powers.

“The emergency powers should not continue.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

Did not support the bill in its current form, arguing it is time for fit-for-purpose pandemic legislation that is transparent, accountable and human rights compatible, rather than continuing to extend emergency powers.

“As the Human Rights Commissioner does not support this bill in its current form, neither can the Greens. We cannot keep kicking this can down the road and extending what was meant to be a temporary framework.”— 2022-03-29View Hansard

Supports the bill's public health provisions.

“The bill protects Queenslanders.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Supports the bill's public health provisions.

“The bill protects Queenslanders.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

Supported the bill, providing historical context about Queensland's public health responses and emphasising that Queensland's approach had resulted in significantly lower death rates than other jurisdictions.

“Without the legislative powers provided by the public health and other legislation amendment bills, our CHOs would have been unable to act in the manner they did to limit the spread of COVID-19, leaving Queensland vulnerable to the ravages of this insidious disease.”— 2022-03-29View Hansard

Opposes the extension of emergency powers.

“The emergency powers should not continue.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Opposes the extension of emergency powers.

“The emergency powers should not continue.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

As a specialist physician, reaffirmed support for all health directives and vaccinations but criticised the government's lack of transparency and strongly supported the LNP's amendments for parliamentary oversight.

“I support the entire public health vaccination program, all health directives and mandates and the expert public health advice, and I will continue to do so. I also support greater openness, transparency and accountability from this state Labor government.”— 2022-03-29View Hansard

Opposes the bill, calls for transparency.

“Queenslanders deserve transparency.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Supports the bill's public health provisions.

“The bill protects Queenslanders.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

Supported the bill, reflecting on personal experiences with border closures affecting family and sharing her own COVID-19 experience, emphasising the importance of vaccination.

“We as a government have a duty to ensure that Queenslanders, wherever possible, can see their family. That means we have to get the health response right and keep our COVID numbers as low as possible.”— 2022-03-29View Hansard

Supports the bill's public health provisions.

“The bill protects Queenslanders.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Opposes the extension of emergency powers.

“The emergency powers should not continue.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

Acknowledged the pandemic's impacts but criticised the lack of transparency and oversight, agreeing with the Human Rights Commissioner's concerns and supporting the LNP amendments for parliamentary scrutiny.

“We need to move past the free pass that this government keeps giving itself when it comes to rules and regulations about imposing restrictions on people without any explanation, without any oversight and without any review.”— 2022-03-29View Hansard

Opposes the extension and moved amendments requiring health advice to be tabled.

“Health advice should be made public.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Opposes the extension of emergency powers.

“The emergency powers should not continue.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

As Agriculture Minister, supported the bill highlighting how COVID measures protected agricultural supply chains and enabled Pacific Labour Scheme workers to continue working safely.

“We did not put these measures in place to earn praise. We did not do it for politics and we did not do it to control people's lives. We did it because it is the right thing to do.”— 2022-03-29View Hansard

Opposes the extension of emergency powers.

“The emergency powers should not continue.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Supports the bill's public health provisions.

“The bill protects Queenslanders.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

Argued it is time to restore freedom and give hope to businesses and communities, supporting the shadow minister's amendment to shorten the extension to 31 May to give people confidence the pandemic restrictions are ending.

“It is time to realise the pain and the agony that businesspeople, communities and individuals have been through over the past two years of the COVID pandemic... People need to get back to normality as quickly as possible.”— 2022-03-29View Hansard

Supports the bill's public health provisions.

“The bill protects Queenslanders.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Opposes the extension of emergency powers.

“The emergency powers should not continue.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill, comparing global COVID death statistics to influenza and praising the Palaszczuk government's strong health response including border closures and vaccination efforts.

“Queenslanders overwhelmingly backed the party that took the strong measures that are in this bill to keep us safe while those opposite proposed a couple of hundred bucks for car registration.”— 2022-03-29View Hansard

Opposes the extension of emergency powers.

“The emergency powers should not continue.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Supports the bill's public health provisions.

“The bill protects Queenslanders.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

Acknowledged the LNP has supported emergency powers but argued they must now come to an end with transparency, supporting the three amendments for a shorter extension, release of health advice, and parliamentary oversight.

“Extraordinary circumstances require an extraordinary response... These powers were always meant to be temporary. As much as these powerful laws were necessary, at some stage they must come to an end.”— 2022-03-29View Hansard

Supports the bill's public health provisions.

“The bill protects Queenslanders.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard

Opposes the extension of emergency powers.

“The emergency powers should not continue.”— 2022-03-30View Hansard

Opposes the extension of emergency powers.

“The emergency powers should not continue.”— 2022-03-31View Hansard