Dametto rages against Palaszczuk’s double standards, demands fairer exemption system

31 August 2021

Member for Hinchinbrook, Nick Dametto.

MEMBER for Hinchinbrook, Nick Dametto MP is fuming as the Palaszczuk Government has ignored its own ban on interstate arrivals by allowing a plane of more than 100 NRL players’ wives, girlfriends and children, and league officials into Brisbane. [i]

Last Wednesday a two week pause on hotel quarantine was declared due to the hotels reaching capacity and Queensland being “loved to death”.

Mr Dametto said the news had raised tensions across the state to boiling point.

“This has caused many of my constituents’ anger and frustration to reach its peak – as soon as this was made public my inbox was flooded with complaints about the State Government’s exemption system,” he said.

“I am urging Ms Palaszczuk to stand up and back her decision, tell Queenslanders why it is okay to grant exemption for 100 NRL WAGs and put them into the 14 days hotel quarantine and not okay for law-abiding and tax paying Queenslanders to return back to their own home.

“I have constituents contacting my office pleading for assistance because they have requested an exemption and have not even received a response.

“These constituents are separated from their children, have mental health illness or have left the state to spend the last moments with loved ones and are now stranded and can’t return home.

“Every day a community member reaches out to me for support and hearing their personal situation breaks my heart.

“Queenslanders deserve more, they are crying out for a fair exemption system.

“It’s time that Palaszczuk wakes up and starts realising the impacts that these conflicting directives are having on the everyday Queenslander.

[i] https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/peter-gleeson/it-ridiculous-insane-fury-as-qld-border-opens-for-nrl-wags/news-story/78d4b8f9941805339802542b307c559a