Palaszczuk in ‘desperate denial’ of real medical advice: Treasurer

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been slammed by the federal Treasurer for spouting concerns about Covid-19 in children that he says contradict the medical advice and exhibit a “denial of reality”.

Ms Palaszczuk on Wednesday withdrew her support for the national reopening plan once the vaccination targets are reached, declaring opening Queensland’s borders would be too risky for unvaccinated children.

“You open up this state and you let the virus in here and every child under 12 is vulnerable, every single child,” she told the Queensland parliament.

The premier said the government must conduct further modelling into the dangers before she would reaffirm her support for the national plan.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said Ms Palaszczuk was deluded, as medical advice clearly indicated the national reopening plan was safe for Australia’s children.

“She said she’s scared for Queensland kids, does that wash with you?” Sunrise host David Koch asked Mr Frydenberg.

“No. It’s a desperate denial of the reality and is not based on the medical advice,” the Treasurer replied.

“The medical advice is that we should vaccinate people aged 12 to 15, which we’re doing.

“The medical advice is what we are following. The medical advice is what the Doherty modelling is based on.”

Mr Frydenberg then warned Ms Palaszczuk about the consequences and realities of attempting to follow a zero-Covid policy past the vaccination reopening targets.

“The states and territories should have no expectation that that level of economic support that we are providing today will continue once we reach those 70 per cent to 80 per cent targets,” he told the Today show.

“The people of Queensland are recognising they have to live with Covid – it’s a reality that is now being accepted.

“They can’t eliminate (Covid-19). No country has eliminated it. That is why it’s so important we stick to the plan and open up accordingly.”

But Ms Palaszczuk insisted her state’s hospital system would crumble if Delta crossed into Queensland’s borders.

“The peak (in infections) is not going to be until October. If you want to see a health system on the verge of collapse, you will see that in October,” she told the Queensland parliament on Wednesday.

“I don’t want that here.”

Despite Ms Palaszczuk’s concerns, Mr Frydenberg maintained that for the sake of the economy, the Queensland Premier should trust in the Doherty modelling and follow the national plan.

“Yesterday we saw 80 of Australia’s largest companies go very public and say how important it was for the economy that we stick to that plan,” the Treasurer said on Sunrise.

“In Queensland, the tourism businesses are doing it really tough.

“Why does (Ms Palaszczuk) want to keep the borders closed when the rest of the country is opening up?”

Speaking to reporters in Canberra, Health Minister Hunt also rebuked Ms Palaszczuk’s commentary, quoting her own health department’s medical advice in his take-down.

“Serious illness remains extremely rare in children,” he read.

“Even children with serious underlying conditions will mostly only experience a mild illness with Covid-19.

“The single most effective tool available to prevent infection in children is to reduce infection in adults. Countries around the world have demonstrated the effectiveness of vaccination in achieving this.”

Australia’s chief medical officer Paul Kelly refused to weigh in on the stoush but insisted children would not be severely affected by the nation opening up.

“Since 1 January this year until last night, there have been 3815 cases of Delta virus infection in children under the age of 12.”

He added that out of those cases, only 134 children had been admitted to hospital.

“We know from particularly New South Wales data that most of the kids that have been admitted to hospital have been for social reasons, not because they are particularly unwell – their parents are sick and can’t look after them, a whole range of elements I won’t go into.”

Ms Palaszczuk is not alone in her views within the national cabinet.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr on Thursday said he was “very concerned” about the impact of the virus on children and would welcome further modelling on how the nation’s reopening would affect the cohort.