The Australian Prime Minister said Queensland must take responsibility for the state’s health system rather than demanding a ransom from the federal government across national borders.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he would not respond to “shakedown politics” during the pandemic, and Queensland Prime Minister Anastasia Parashek criticized for threatening to close the border unless he received more public health funds. bottom.
“Then she has to pick it up with the Queensland people. That is, to lower this point,” I demanded a ransom from the federal government and from their money based on COVID. I try to blackmail. I don’t think that’s the right path. ” Morrison said Nine’s show today is this morning.
“We are not going to meet that kind of request, the” give me money or otherwise “type of request, and that’s what this is. “
Palaszczuk said on October 1 that her border would not “necessarily” open when the state reaches 80% vaccination due to concerns about whether the hospital could handle the surge in COVID-19 cases.
“Hospitals need to increase capacity, which requires additional federal funding to increase the number of (cases) we see.” Parashek told the media.. “This is unprecedented … so we need to prepare.”
But Morrison said the federal government has already increased funding for hospitals in Queensland by almost 100%, doubling that of the state government.
He also quoted Chief Health Officer Janet Young, who said the QLD hospital system could handle the surge in cases, as opposed to Parasheck.
“Therefore, they have to get in and run the public hospital system, and they don’t have to make excuses, get in, work, or take responsibility for it,” Morrison said.
Other states, such as New South Wales, Victoria, and ACT, are “on track,” according to Morrison, requiring Queensland to face challenges and responsibilities for their health care system.
On Monday, Queensland Deputy Premier of Queen Steven Miles said all states requested additional federal support for their hospitals.
“Our hospital is jointly operated and funded.” Miles said.. “They are funded under a national partnership agreement — partnership is the keyword there.”
He said the federal government had artificially restricted funding growth to 6.5% before the pandemic began. This will reduce the ability of hospitals to meet demand when the state reopens.
“Given that our hospital is funded as a partnership, we want the federal government to increase its contribution to that partnership.”
Queensland is the only eastern state that has not yet created a concrete reopening roadmap, and Parashek is reversing its commitment to the country’s reopening plan.
In September, Palaszczuk said the border remained closed to its south neighbor, New South Wales, until children under the age of 12 were also vaccinated.
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