So what next? As tens of thousands of people — many of them returning Queenslanders — cross the border into the sunshine state for the first time in five months, that’s the question that needs a policy focus.
The political messaging too will be a key battlefield, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison tries to sandbag the swag of seats he won last time. Losing just a few will see him sent to the opposition benches. It’s a high stakes Christmas game that could impact on either of the popularity of Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk or Morrison’s electoral fortunes.
Queensland has largely been a COVID-free zone. A couple of quick lockdowns put out spotfire transmissions, but unlike New South Wales and Victoria, hospital admissions and deaths have been rare. Voters have obliged with mask-wearing and social distancing, and businesses have paid a heavy price, considering the small amount of transmission.
Palaszczuk has taken the credit for the COVID-free living — and might even deserve it, although she’s been helped by voters’ acquiescence.
While those stuck outside the state — some shut out of their own houses and others homeless after being forced to forgo their rental accommodation — have been furious, those inside the border have largely felt “safe”. That was the premier’s promise: trust her, vote for her, and she’ll keep you safe.
In practical terms, it was a one-trick policy. Close the gates. Shut the borders. Value parochialism. Yesterday that was upended when borders opened and cars queued for kilometres. And the risk of COVID joining that queue will only grow as the days and weeks pass.
If COVID spreads and tallies rise even to half of what we’ve seen in other states, Labor’s promise of “keeping you safe” will be seen as nothing more than a political ploy. And that’s particularly in parts of the state outside the south-east, where many see this pandemic as a big-city disease. Fewer than 50% of residents in some regional areas — mainly Indigenous communities — have been vaccinated.
This pandemic has been treated as a political rather than a health issue from day dot, and rising COVID cases will give the Liberals ammunition to take on Labor in a state where Morrison’s biggest threat is Palaszczuk’s popularity.
And what makes Palaszczuk vulnerable is that absence of any COVID policy depth. How will COVID be dealt with in schools from February? Will the thousands of public school teachers refusing the mandate to be vaccinated really lose their jobs? What is the broader lockdown policy? When will voters be taken into the government’s confidence? When will 17-year-olds, headed for university, be allowed a booster shot? How is the awful loneliness being felt in aged care facilities going to be addressed?
Those questions are the tip of the policy iceberg, and need to be considered. But so does something that might prove bigger — and sadder. From Friday, unvaccinated locals will be barred from cafes and clubs, packed stadiums, festivals and various entertainment venues.
That’s sensible to keep a check on pandemic numbers. But voters won’t ignore the fact that Queenslanders are moving to further restrictions just as other states move towards greater freedoms. They see it as punishment for the doing the right thing.
Police will have to arbitrate, and that could create chaos. A patron refuses to show vaccination proof, police are called, and what happens then? How many police will be required? And should this be their focus?
Already a community divide is developing. On one side are the proudly vaccinated who will be spotted in the state’s best coffee haunts on Friday morning. On the other side, staying at home, will be the unvaccinated — and many who are angered that a vaccine will determine their daily lifestyle activities in a state that has remained, until now, almost COVID-free.
The role of the states has trumped the Commonwealth in navigating COVID challenges and Labor will be hoping its new open borders and antivax-free zones will provide the platform Anthony Albanese needs to win the Lodge. Morrison, on the other hand, will be looking to use climbing COVID tallies as proof that Queensland’s policy has amounted to nothing more than an order to batten the hatches.
What a weird upside down argument. Keeping Queensland safe seen just as a political ploy is quite a statement. None of my Queensland friends have expressed such to me throughout the pandemic. They’ve been more than grateful for the freedoms they’ve had as I’m sure West Australians under Mark McGowan have.
And Tasmanians under a Liberal premier.
And SA with a Liberal premier.
‘….Labor’s promise of “keeping you safe” will be seen as nothing more than a political ploy.’
As a Queensland resident I saw it as keeping us safe – as did many of my conservative friends.
As for a one-trick policy, predictably Madonna King gives no credit to Palaszczuk for the quarantine facility at Toowoomba – which may prove invaluable in the next months when we’re vulnerable.
Madonna sometimes surprises me with a good article, but this is not one of them.
As the electoral panic for the LNP rises, I think that her heart is still with the conservatives, and thus she is a poor fit here at Crikey.
Yes I agree Fairmind.
I had to have Christmas with one of my daughters who lives in deliverance country up in the scenic rim on Sunday because she knows that the following weekend she will not be allowed into a restaurant unvaxed.
An yes there was the individual who refused to wear a mask at the XRay clinic at the SCUH yesterday – Tues.
Then the middle class conservatives who have retired to Qld neverending bleating about opening up the state.
So to me Madona is just another whinger with conservative allegiances.
They never stop playing games of which part is always to criticize those on the other side for being “political”.
Palaszczuk a one-trick pony? She had a job to keep Queenslanders safe and disruption within the state to a minimum, and succeeded admirably. The grenades thrown mainly by NSW were largely in states that stuffed up their response, and sought to change the narrative to save their political skins. It is the same in WA – and when Morrison and his fellow Federal Libs try to undermine McGowan, it just makes the Feds even less popular. We don’t need commentators like Madonna King to tell us what we want when a majority of residents broadly trust the response of responsible state leaders.
The last paragraph of the piece is the key to interpreting this author’s understanding and framing of COVID issues. “The role of the states has trumped the Commonwealth in navigating COVID challenges” says King. Most objective observers with the same set of facts have observed that the states have been required to step into the gaping chasm left by the Commonwealth’s incompetence, negligence and wilful indolence on vaccines, quarantine and any sort of coherent national approach.
To that end, the Queensland government’s response, centred on keeping cases as low as possible while vaccine take-up reaches an acceptable level, has been outstanding overall, notwithstanding severe impacts on individuals being unable to return home. Palasczcuk and her government and advisors have succeeded despite Federal failures, and pre-emptively attributing the blame for the inevitable case-number growth from here on to the Queensland government whilst giving political credit to Morrison for continuing to do absolutely nothing reveals nothing but the author’s implacable political bias.
I saw Ms King on The Drum last night and found her to be patronizing and glib particularly when speaking on Western Australia about which she clearly has NFI! I trust Peter of Perth Hills was similarly annoyed 🙂
Funny watching her playing her politics : lament the possibility of ‘Covid politics’ being played out next year in the election?
It’s these kind of articles that make me question sometimes why I subscribe to Crikey. I guess I just have to ignore those that verge more to msm and Coalition propaganda to get the few gems of good well researched journalism we get from time to time.
yes its worth suffering through them
Unfortunately “time to time” is becoming ‘as time goes by’.
I love that show!
I don’t ignore them because they remind me that not everybody thinks like me, and they vote.
Really…can we not have a balance of argument or comments without criticizing the messenger. It is an opinion for goodness sake for you to agree or disagree with and why I like Crikey. Believe it or not we all don’t think the same way and I like to read others views on topics so I can broaden my thinking without always agreeing with them. Agree to disagree as such and why I love a democracy.
For such a self selected, extremely fringe cohort, commenters here remind me what the Iron Duke said of his troops on the eve of Waterloo.
“Awaiting approval”? Well here goes nuthin’ :-
“What makes Palaszczuk vulnerable”? Limited News history repeating itself?
“… businesses have paid a heavy price, considering the small amount of transmission…” because of the way it’s been managed by Palaszczuk Labor? When, alternatively, it could have been the sort of “profiled lock-down lite” under Santa Flaws and her Elf Hazzard (cherry-picking and ignoring Chant’s expert advice), that let the bad times roll in NSW that allowed the Delta horse to bolt while they were wondering about shutting the stable door – with the impact on business that had? ….. Was that a gamble worth taking?
God forbid Palaszczuk be allowed to take credit for the good run we’ve had? Even if she might, begrudgingly, deserve it?
“In practical terms, it was a one-trick policy. Close the gates. Shut the borders. Value parochialism. Yesterday that was upended when borders opened and cars queued for kilometres. And the risk of COVID joining that queue will only grow as the days and weeks pass.”
So what’s it to be : complain about “locked down and Covid kept out” – or complain about “opening up and let it in”?
“Labor’s promise of “keeping you safe” will be seen as nothing more than a political ploy.”?
Like all those “non-core promises” that didn’t seem to bother King all that much when it was Honest John Howard making them and reneging? And if history is any guide won’t King be revisiting this “broken promise” if that happens – unlike she did Howard’s.
A Labor “political ploy” : “unlike(?)” sports rorts, UCF, FFWSS a “federal ICAC” and a religious discrimination law”?
<50% vaccinations in certain areas, whose responsibility is that?
And, joy of joys, won’t that “broken faith” help the Coalition and put Morrison back.
“This pandemic has been treated as a political rather than a health issue from day dot” – but not just in Qld (? “rising COVID cases will give the Liberals ammunition to take on Labor in a state where Morrison’s biggest threat is Palaszczuk’s popularity”) : let’s ignore Morrison’s manifest ineptitude in managing it by outsourcing and franchising responsibility out?
Including, and especially “aged care” – with all that “awful loneliness” after what went on earlier and the low priority of vaccinations for those caring as well as the cared for – by the Morrison federal authorities?.
Palaszczuk’s “absence of any policy depth”? As judged by a professional ‘anti-Labor hack’?
WTF gives with this “apporval” :-
“…. F-r-o-m F-r-i-d-a-y, u-n-v-a-c-c-i-n-a-t-e-d l-o-c-a-l-s w-i-l-l b-e b-a-r-r-e-d f-r-o-m c-a-f-e-s a-n-d c-l-u-b-s, p-a-c-k-e-d s-t-a-d-i-u-m-s, f-e-s-t-i-v-a-l-s a-n-d v-a-r-i-o-u-s e-n-t-e-r-t-a-i-n-m-e-n-t v-e-n-u-e-s.
T-h-a-t-’s s-e-n-s-i-b-l-e t-o k-e-e-p a c-h-e-c-k o-n p-a-n-d-e-m-i-c n-u-m-b-e-r-s. B-u-t v-o-t-e-r-s w-o-n-’t i-g-n-o-r-e t-h-e f-a-c-t t-h-a-t Q-u-e-e-n-s-l-a-n-d-e-r-s a-r-e m-o-v-i-n-g t-o f-u-r-t-h-e-r r-e-s-t-r-i-c-t-i-o-n-s j-u-s-t a-s o-t-h-e-r s-t-a-t-e-s m-o-v-e t-o-w-a-r-d-s g-r-e-a-t-e-r f-r-e-e-d-o-m-s. T-h-e-y s-e-e i-t a-s p-u-n-i-s-h-m-e-n-t f-o-r d-o-i-n-g the right thing.”?
Q-l-d i-s the only state d-o-i-n-g t-h-a-t? …. And the v-a-c-c-i-n-a-t-e-d v-o-t-e-r w-i-l-l be a-g-g-r-i-e-v-e-d t-h-a-t t-h-e-y-’-r-e not being f-o-r-c-e-d to s-h-a-r-e s-p-a-c-e with the v-o-l-u-n-t-a-r-i-l-y s-c-e-p-t-i-c u-n-v-a-c-c-i-n-a-t-e-d? How are they being “p-u-n-i-s-h-e-d for doing the r-i-g-h-t t-h-i-n-g” of getting v-a-c-c-i-n-a-t-e-d? It’s not as though vaccinations are the be all and end all of Covid i-m-m-u-n-i-t-y.
That wasn’t hard was it?
…. And if punters are reminded regularly where we could have been now, if only Morrison had done his job starting 2 years ago (when Covid raised it’s ugly head; and Pfizer was warning of what was coming) instead of hiding and passing the parcel – leaving the states (with ad hoc make-shift facilities – instead of the built-for-purpose resources, under federal responsibility, necessary) to cover for his mistakes : where we could be have been now, instead of being months behind the 8-ball?
“Awaiting for approval”? – So to recap :-
“What makes Palaszczuk vulnerable”? Limited News history repeating itself?
“… businesses have paid a heavy price, considering the small amount of transmission…” because of the way it’s been managed by Palaszczuk Labor? When, alternatively, it could have been the sort of “profiled lock-down lite” under Santa Flaws and her Elf Hazzard (cherry-picking and ignoring Chant’s expert advice), that let the bad times roll in NSW that allowed the Delta horse to bolt while they were wondering about shutting the stable door – with the impact on business that had? ….. Was that a gamble worth taking?
God and King forbid Palaszczuk be allowed to take credit for the good run we’ve had? Even if she might, begrudgingly, deserve it?
“In practical terms, it was a one-trick policy. Close the gates. Shut the borders. Value parochialism. Yesterday that was upended when borders opened and cars queued for kilometres. And the risk of COVID joining that queue will only grow as the days and weeks pass.”
So what’s it to be : complain about “locked down and Covid kept out” – or complain about “opening up and let it in”?
.
“Labor’s promise of “keeping you safe” will be seen as nothing more than a political ploy.”?
Like all those “non-core promises” that didn’t seem to bother King all that much when it was Honest John Howard making them and reneging? And if history is any guide won’t King be revisiting this “broken promise” if that happens – unlike she did Howard’s.
A Labor “political ploy” : “unlike(?)” sports rorts, UCF, FFWSS a “federal ICAC” and a religious discrimination law”?
<50% vaccinations in certain areas, whose responsibility is that?
And, joy of joys, won’t that “broken faith” help the Coalition and put Morrison back.
“This pandemic has been treated as a political rather than a health issue from day dot” – but not just in Qld (? “rising COVID cases will give the Liberals ammunition to take on Labor in a state where Morrison’s biggest threat is Palaszczuk’s popularity”) : let’s ignore Morrison’s manifest ineptitude in managing it by outsourcing and franchising responsibility out?
Including, and especially “aged care” – with all that “awful loneliness” after what went on earlier and the low priority of vaccinations for those caring as well as the cared for – by the Morrison federal authorities?.
Palaszczuk’s “absence of any policy depth”? As judged by a professional ‘anti-Labor hack’?
………………………..
…. And if punters are reminded regularly where we could have been now, if only Morrison had done his job starting 2 years ago (when Covid raised it’s ugly head; and Pfizer was warning of what was coming) instead of hiding and passing the parcel – leaving the states (with ad hoc make-shift facilities – instead of the built-for-purpose resources, under federal responsibility, necessary) to cover for his mistakes : where we could be have been now, instead of being months behind the 8-ball?
“…………. “…. From Friday, unvaccinated locals will be barred from cafes and clubs, packed stadiums, festivals and various entertainment venues.”
WTF gives with this “Awaiting for approval”? My lifting the eleventh paragraph and pasting it results in the entire post being sent to “Afa” Coventry?
Lucky that all your efforts at Bowdlerization weren’t on a Friday arvo when the bunker hamsters have all sloped off for the w/e else we’d not see you effort for 3-4 days.
If ever – the Monday catch-up soft machines who have to oil & grease the madBot do tend to dump large wedges that tax their abilities – posts with big words or too many syllables are especially at risk.
Sometimes those “Awaiting for approval” are posted anyway – for all to see.
How many of my posts can you see here? 20 of which 12 are “Afa”d?
For the life of me I can’t see why the reproduction of King’s 11th paragraph trips that default.
There are 9 above, which are mostly your redacted attempts of an original, plus a couple of WTFs.
Seriously, it is beyond ludicrous that using a header or passage from an article trips the Machine – has nobody in the bunker learned how to tweak an algorithm?
More likely, it shows the contempt in which paying punters are held.
Good
Get the glyphosate on those thousand flowers and torch the hundred schools of thought before they content.
…CONTEND.
What seems to be missing is that if Brendan Murphy, the Chief medical Officer of Australia, had not done his duty and organized the State of Emergency (Health) which automatically closed our external borders, we would have has scottie from marketing playing favorites as to who to keep the borders open to.
We would have had 100,000 of thousands dead and scottie pathetically saying, our consultants told us to wait and see if we need to order a vaccine.
Scummo, Fraudie and the gHunt have all attempted to peddle the lie that “Our actions have saved 35,000 lives” – in Parliament, in Insider interviews and on Hately’s radio show on 2GB.