Senator Roberts rejects an extension to the QLD Chief Health Officer’s extraordinary powers in his submission to QLD Parliament’s Health and Environment Committee.

The sweeping powers, that allowed the state’s Chief Health Officer (CHO) to regulate people’s behaviour during the COVID pandemic, were initially introduced without consultation or debate.

Senator Roberts said, “A strong health response is the critical initial response to a pandemic, yet it is the Premier’s job to show political leadership and be accountable for the broader impact for Queensland.

“While lockdowns can be a solid initial strategy, the continued knee-jerk use of them after 11 months is an admission of failure.  The ongoing damage to the economy will undermine people’s future physical and mental health.

“The Premier has been hiding in the shadows of the CHO’s health dictates since March and the economy, small businesses and Queenslanders have been left to languish.”

The role of the Chief Health Officer, an unelected bureaucrat, is to provide health advice for the Premier’s consideration as our elected representative.

“Over the past months the Premier has consistently abandoned the running of the state and instead allowed the CHO, who has responsibility for our physical health not our economic health, to be our defacto Premier.

“Only an elected government can be held accountable over the curbing of our rights and liberties, which is now beyond what is necessary,” stated Senator Roberts.

The ongoing extension of the delegated powers to the CHO puts her in a difficult position and may breach fundamental legislative principles, since the CHO’s unilateral decisions are way beyond her remit and her professional expertise.

Senator Roberts added, “Queenslanders voted for the Premier to be the ultimate decision maker, yet she shows reckless indifference to the importance of managing our state’s physical, mental and economic health.

“Anastacia Palaszczuk has surrendered her responsibility as a Premier. “The Premier needs to get back to work and the CHO’s extraordinary powers should be stopped and the position be returned to its intended advisory capacity only.”