Katter’s Australian Party MPs are demanding the Queensland Premier and her Health Minister explain what the fudge they’re doing with the State’s cheque book given they have all but admitted Queensland’s total lack of preparedness for an outbreak of COVID-19.

Despite the pandemic having consumed public debate for the better part of two years, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has today publicly declared the State’s health system would not be able to cope with COVID-19 even with 80 per cent of the population vaccinated.

The Premier said today that the Delta variant would “spread like wildfire” throughout Australia, putting hospitals under intense pressure.[1]

“We’re already seeing increased surges in NSW hospitals and increased surges in Victorian hospitals,” she said publicly.

“So the hospitals need to have the capacity and that requires additional funding coming from the Federal Government to support the growth in numbers that we will see.

“This will be unprecedented.

“It is going to happen right throughout Australia when this Delta virus spreads.

“So we need to be prepared.

“There needs to be a lot of work that needs to happen and we’ve got to get this right.”

Katter’s Australian Party Leader and Traeger MP Robbie said the Premier, her Health Minister and Queensland Health have had almost two years to “get this right”.

He said Queenslanders were being treated like fools.

“We have for the last 18 months been obsessed with COVID-19 at all levels of Government – fundamental human rights have been suspended, people have been unable to celebrate weddings and hold funerals, some have died alone without family beside their beds and businesses have gone broke,” Mr Katter said.

“In those two years, the Queensland Government has had an ample amount of time to prepare for what’s to come when compared to the rest of the world.

“But today, we have had confirmed what we feared – they are not ready.

“Queenslanders will not forgive this.”

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said the KAP had pleaded with the Palaszczuk Labor Government to suspend its bid for the 2032 Olympic Games for this very reason.

“Instead of pursuing the Olympics in a decade’s time at a monumental cost, we have called for the Government to get Queensland’s house in order,” he said.

“Obviously this would include, most crucially during a pandemic, making sure our hospitals are ready and that there are enough staff, beds and ventilators for the worst-case scenario.

“We have been fielding growing concerns about the state of our under-funded and under-resourced health system.

“The State Government should be at the point where they are fully prepared.

“But instead how they have conducted themselves is like sticking your head in the sand while a Category 5 cyclone heads towards the coast and hoping it just goes away.

“What has been going on at these National Cabinet meetings? States should have been collectively getting their acts together to run this country but instead it’s just been like a p*#$ing competition.

“Queenslanders deserve better.”

The Premier’s comments follow a letter signed by Australia’s respective Health Ministers, including Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath, to federal Health Minister Greg Hunt asking for extra, shared 50/50 health funding, uncapped funding and a funding guarantee until June 30.

To date, Queensland has recorded only 2,039 cases of COVID-19 and seven deaths.