Yvette D’Ath sparks war of words with Dutton over alleged ADF quarantine bungle - but texts wrong number

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath has been left embarrassed after a fiery press conference where she claimed Peter Dutton had dodged her call.

Speaking on Wednesday, Ms D’Ath hit out at “false claims” that the state had left Aussie troops stranded, a lack of vaccine supply and a consistent stream of harsh words directed at the state.

“Before the Commonwealth gets up and makes public statements, criticising the Queensland Government, which seems to be the modus operandi now … that’s all they do, go out and criticise Queensland – great deflection on anything else in the country … then make sure they’ve got the facts,” she said.

She said claims attributed to ‘government sources’ criticising the state for not allowing defence personnel from Afghanistan to return to Australia and enter hotel quarantine were “false”, and that she had tried to get on to Peter Dutton for an explanation – to no avail.

“I‘ve sent a text to Peter Dutton this morning, asking him to call me. I have not heard from him,” Ms D’Ath said, later even showing reporters her text message and call log.

Mr Dutton fired back immediately, denying ever receiving a text from her.

“Yvette D’Ath’s comment this morning that she called and or texted me is untrue. I have not had any contact from her,” Mr Dutton said on Twitter.

It emerged soon after the press conference that Ms D’Ath had been texting the wrong number, with one digit entered incorrectly.

“They have spoken though,” a spokesman for Ms D’Ath confirmed to NCA NewsWire.

The Courier-Mail reported that Diggers were stuck in Dubai and unable to return because the Queensland government had denied them entry while allowing NRL players and partners and Indian cricketers access.

The report said that the Palaszczuk Government had not yet approved a special hotel quarantine exemption for them and quoted a ‘senior federal government source’ saying it “it’s pretty ordinary”.

Ms D’Ath said that a request for up to 400 army personnel were wanting to come to Queensland from Afghanistan and quarantine in a bubble arrangement so they could move more freely.

“They made that request last Friday,” she said.

“On Wednesday being today, they (ADF) would provide a Queensland management plan to Queensland Health, and hope to finalise that plan by tomorrow with the ADF, personnel, arriving from Friday.”