Public Health and Other Legislation (COVID-19 Management) Amendment Bill 2022

Strongly supported the bill, defending the government's COVID response and the Chief Health Officer's role, criticising the opposition for wanting to open borders earlier.

“Following the directions of the Chief Health Officer was what kept the Logan community safe.”— 2022-10-26View Hansard

As Minister for Health, moved the bill and defended it as a balanced step-down approach to managing COVID-19, retaining only critical measures needed while providing greater transparency and parliamentary oversight.

“The bill has been carefully developed with these realities in mind. The bill retains the powers necessary to preserve human life and respond to serious risks posed by COVID-19 while ensuring the rights and liberties of Queenslanders are limited as little as possible.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Could not support the bill, arguing it doesn't adequately address lessons from the Fault Lines report and needs amendments to improve transparency and consider societal fault lines.

“We can learn very vital lessons from the last two years—both the good, and there has been so much of that relayed in this debate, and the not so good.”— 2022-10-26View Hansard

As shadow health minister, announced the opposition would not support the bill, arguing the pandemic phase has passed and parliament can be recalled if needed, criticising the government's belated transparency measures.

“We cannot go on living indefinitely with these types of legislative frameworks in place. Until such time as a new public health emergency arises—should that happen, the parliament should then be allowed to do its job: be recalled if urgent and pass the necessary laws.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Supported the bill as an important step in Queensland's path out of the pandemic while ensuring safeguards remain in place.

“The bill is an important step in Queensland's path out from the midst of the pandemic, whilst still ensuring there are safeguards in place.”— 2022-10-26View Hansard

As committee chair and former paramedic, strongly supported the bill, praising Queensland's pandemic response and criticising the opposition for calling 64 times to open borders during the pandemic.

“It is a real shame that the opposition is not supporting this bill, because no-one has a crystal ball. We have just dealt with a global pandemic in this state, and we did it well.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Opposed the bill, arguing emergency powers are no longer necessary and criticising the lack of transparency over the past two years for her border community.

“We cannot go on living indefinitely with these types of extraordinary legislative provisions in place. It is wrong and I will not support it.”— 2022-10-26View Hansard

Opposed the bill as an opposition committee member, arguing the pandemic situation has changed so greatly that emergency powers are no longer justified and parliament can be recalled if needed.

“We will not be supporting this bill. We do not believe it is necessary at this time. We absolutely believe that the parliament should be free to do its work and that if the parliament needs to be recalled then that would be the appropriate time to deal with any future pandemic or health concerns.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Opposed the bill, arguing against continuing emergency powers.

“These powers are no longer proportionate to the risk we face.”— 2022-10-26View Hansard

Supported the bill as a step-down approach, praising the Premier's leadership and Queensland's pandemic response while criticising the LNP for calling to open borders 64 times.

“The view of those opposite is out of step with every other jurisdiction in Australia, but of course the LNP know all about being irresponsible when it comes to managing the pandemic—from calling for the borders to be opened not once but 64 times before our COVID vaccine rollout.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Supported the bill as necessary to maintain appropriate safeguards while transitioning out of the emergency phase.

“These safeguards are proportionate and necessary.”— 2022-10-26View Hansard

Opposed the bill, arguing emergency powers should expire at the end of October 2022, criticising the ongoing use of powers by an unelected Chief Health Officer and citing the independent Fault Lines review.

“The harm caused should stop now. We have a sunset clause and that is the end of this month. We should use it. It is time to end the emergency powers in Queensland. We just cannot go on living this way.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Strongly defended the government's pandemic response, arguing lockdowns kept Queenslanders safe and enabled regional tourism, while criticising the opposition for opposing every measure simply to win elections.

“Before the borders opened, before the vaccine was rolled out in Queensland, there was a total of seven deaths in our state because of the strong health response that we took, the strong health response that also delivered a strong economic recovery plan.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Opposed the bill as unnecessary, arguing the situation has changed and parliament can be recalled if needed, criticising the government for only now introducing transparency measures when they were needed earlier.

“Simply put, it is unnecessary. Our state, our nation and the world have moved on from these sorts of measures, even in the watered down and constrained manner proposed here. The COVID-19 Emergency Response Act 2020 should just be allowed to expire on 31 October.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Supported the bill as the next phase of Queensland's pandemic management, arguing it would be irresponsible to remove all pandemic frameworks given the virus remains unpredictable.

“It is clear that the virus is simply too unpredictable to remove all of the health framework and rely solely on self-management strategies at this time.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Opposed the bill, summarising community sentiment as having 'had enough', expressing concern that 'serious risk' is not defined and that powers are given to an unelected Chief Health Officer rather than elected representatives.

“My contribution can be summed up in one simple word: enough. The community of the electorate of Glass House and the communities of Queensland have simply had enough.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Supported the bill as a clear scaling down of emergency powers while retaining necessary safeguards, praising the transparency measures and the government's strong pandemic leadership.

“I think what we are seeing here is a really clear scaling down, ensuring that we still have those reserve powers in place but also transparency—we have heard about the real importance of transparency—and that any restrictions are only there for the duration they are strictly required.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Opposed the bill, highlighting the severe impact of restrictions on tourism businesses in his electorate and arguing the emergency powers should be allowed to expire.

“We cannot go on living indefinitely with these types of legislative frameworks in place. We must be prepared, but our response must be proportionate to the risk at hand.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Supported the bill, praising the Premier and Chief Health Officers for keeping Queenslanders safe with minimal disruption compared to other states, and noting COVID remains a real threat.

“COVID is real; it is still active. The virus is still too unpredictable and too new. We do not know what variants will emerge and how they will affect the population.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Opposed the bill while thanking health workers, arguing the government has taken an easy approach by rolling controls forward for another 12 months when parliament could be recalled if needed.

“I believe the government has taken an easy approach just to roll these controls forward for another 12 months. I know that COVID is still in our community... but if there is another wave or if there are other variants we can easily recall parliament.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

As Minister for Agriculture, supported the bill as a sensible approach, praising the government's pandemic response for keeping Queenslanders safe and highlighting support provided to the agriculture sector.

“We listen to the experts. We trust the science. We keep Queenslanders safe. Unlike those opposite, we plan for the future.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Opposed the bill in its entirety on behalf of KAP, arguing the emergency powers should expire, criticising vaccine mandates for exacerbating workforce shortages, and condemning decisions being made by an unelected bureaucrat.

“From the outset I state that the KAP will oppose this bill in its entirety. We have always stood in this House and fought for people's choice regarding the COVID-19 mandates imposed by the state Labor government in Queensland.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill as a nurse, defending the Premier's pandemic leadership and the Chief Health Officer, criticising the LNP and crossbench for chasing cheap political points by opposing sound health policy.

“It is sad to see the LNP joining with their One Nation mates to oppose this bill... Like most other things that the LNP have done during this pandemic, it has been based on chasing cheap political points rather than doing the heavy lifting that is required to keep all Queenslanders safe.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Opposed the bill, criticising the one-size-fits-all approach that was inappropriate for regional Queensland, expressing distrust in some official advice, and arguing the government is conditioning people to need to be ordered about.

“We strongly reject this bill. It sends bad signals to the people of Queensland. It is very dangerous that the government continues to condition people to need to be ordered about and told what to do.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Supported the bill as the next stage of COVID-19 management, praising the Premier and health ministers for their leadership, while acknowledging the emotional cost of restrictions on families including her own.

“Living in a state of perpetual emergency is not a normal way to live and it is impractical over the long-term... I am looking forward to this Christmas where I can be with my whole family largely free from restrictions thanks to the excellent work of the Palaszczuk government.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Completely opposed the bill, arguing the government is refusing to give up power despite the negative impacts of mandates on jobs and healthcare staffing, and citing the independent Fault Lines review criticising government overreach.

“I completely oppose this bill... The negatives of the mandates and the pressure they place on Queenslanders through loss of jobs and a failing healthcare system, with thousands of healthcare workers still out of work, far outweigh any perceived positives of keeping them.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

Supported the bill, remembering the 2,256 Queenslanders who died from COVID-19, praising the government's pandemic response for prioritising health and safety, and criticising the opposition for undermining health advice.

“The Palaszczuk government had the capacity, the resources and certainly the resolve. We showed that when we were the first jurisdiction in Australia to declare a public health emergency on 29 January, months before the former Morrison government chose to act.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard

The Greens did not oppose the bill as an improvement on existing law, but expressed concerns about the 21-day tabling gap, the impact of Corrective Services provisions on prisoners, and the lack of a long-term democratic pandemic framework like Victoria's.

“While the Greens believe this bill is an improvement on existing public health law and will not be opposing it, I want to talk about what we need to see to ensure our public health legislation is up to the challenges of the next few decades.”— 2022-10-25View Hansard