Queensland MPs are reconsidering attending parliament next week, with the state likely to force returning parliamentarians into hotel quarantine or a hard lockdown.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Canberra Times understands Queensland's chief medical officer is unlikely to provide MPs returning home from the sitting fortnight with an exemption from quarantine requirements.
This means MPs will have to spend two weeks in hotel quarantine at their own expense or go into hard lockdowns at their homes, where no household members will be allowed to come and go.
This has led to some MPs reconsidering their trip to Canberra for the August 24 sittings.
While the ACT has not had a coronavirus case in five weeks, Queensland authorities were concerned NSW residents were using the ACT as a backdoor into Queensland, after a man allegedly drove from a Sydney hotspot to Canberra to catch a flight into Brisbane and onto Cairns.
A Queensland Health spokesperson said while the work performed by members of parliament was considered essential, the state also considered Canberra a COVID-19 hotspot.
"Federal Parliamentarians returning to their electorate in Queensland must strictly quarantine at home for 14 days," the spokesperson said.
"Parliamentarians staffers must strictly quarantine in hotels for 14 days."
It comes as Victorian MPs go into their second week of quarantine ahead of the sitting week.
As of August 7, 11 of the Victorian MPs had registered to do two weeks' quarantine in the ACT, while others self-isolate at home before heading to Canberra.
Meanwhile the Department of Parliamentary Services will issue a set of rules to MPs who will be participating in parliament virtually.
While MPs will not be able to vote if they are not in Canberra, they will be able to ask and answer questions in Question Time and participate during debates.
However parliamentarians will have to tune in via their electorate offices and will be required to dress as if they were in the chamber.
READ MORE:
MPs will also have to sit in front of a blank wall or a shelf of Hansards, with no political or sporting paraphernalia or family photographs allowed in the background.
It is understood these strict rules are to avoid the circus of the UK's Zoom parliament, where children and pets have crashed the proceedings.
A spokeswoman for House of Representatives Speaker Tony Smith and Senate President Scott Ryan said the Department of Parliamentary Services was, "continuing to liaise with members and senators regarding the technology and equipment required in case either or both of the chambers determine to allow remote participation".
- For information on COVID-19, please go to the ACT Health website or the federal Health Department's website.
- You can also call the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
- If you have serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, call Triple Zero (000)
Our COVID-19 news articles relating to public health and safety are free for anyone to access. However, we depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support. If you're looking to stay up to date on COVID-19, you can also sign up for our daily digest here.
