As South Australia moves towards reopening its borders thanks to the Marshall Liberal Government’s nation-leading home quarantine app and increasing vaccination rates, it’s time for Mr Malinauskas and Labor to drop their commitment to build an expensive and redundant quarantine facility.
Just as Federal Labor Leader Anthony Albanese has been forced to drop his $6 billion vaccine incentive policy because it is no longer needed, Mr Malinauskas has to raise the white flag on his dedicated quarantine facility, which would cost hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.
State Labor governments in Western Australia ($400 million) and Victoria ($200 million) and Queensland have committed hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars towards facilities which will be largely redundant in coming months.
Queensland has confirmed fully vaccinated international arrivals won’t be required to quarantine in the new year. From yesterday, international arrivals into New South Wales and Victoria do not need to quarantine.
“The problem with Mr Malinauskas and Labor is they are focussed on political headlines rather than real-world solutions,” Treasurer Rob Lucas said.
“The Marshall Liberal has been able to invest the money Mr Malinauskas and Labor wanted spent on a white elephant facility on boosting our health system capacity by almost 400 beds and recruiting up to 1,920 nurses and other health staff.”
“Playing politics with the public health during a pandemic is fraught and Mr Malinauskas and Labor have been caught red-handed trying to exploit public fears of travellers bringing the virus into SA.
“The expert advice on the building of a quarantine facility in South Australia was constant – it wasn’t viable for our state.
“Mr Malinauskas was fully aware the expert health advice was in direct contradiction of his proclaimed policy.
“Mr Malinauskas needs to be man enough to admit he was wrong and can his quarantine compound.
“If he won’t, he needs to come clean on where he is going to build his white elephant which would cost hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Last month, the Marshall Liberal Government expanded the nation-leading home quarantine app which uses mobile phone technology to ensure returning travellers can safely quarantine in their own home.
The technology has been shared with other states who have also begun using the app to manage arrivals into their state.
