Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick has called on Opposition Leader David Crisafulli to remove LNP Health Spokesperson Rose Bates from his frontbench.
The Treasurer said Ms Bates refusal to back nationwide advice on mandatory vaccines for health workers puts Queensland’s vaccine rollout at grave risk.
“Yesterday on 4BC radio, the LNP Health’s spokesperson was asked three times whether she supported the mandate for health worker vaccines,” the Treasurer said.
“Three times she refused to do so.
“This is an untenable position to be held by anyone in public life, let alone someone who aspires to administer Queensland’s health system.
“If David Crisafulli condones these views by refusing to sack his health spokesperson, then he will be condemned as an anti-vax sympathiser,” the Treasurer said.
“Bipartisan support for vaccination is a cornerstone of Queensland politics, and David Crisafulli must act today to ensure views that promote vaccine hesitancy are relegated back to the fringe.”
The mandatory vaccination of health workers is the clear recommendation of Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) and is supported by unions representing health workers.
“Real unions back health advice, because they know that unless health workers are vaccinated, their colleagues and all Queenslanders are put at risk,” the Treasurer said.
“Enough is a enough, David Crisafulli must sack his health spokesperson and sack her today.”
