Queensland Senator Susan McDonald has backed the Federal Government's proposed tracking app as the quickest way to ease movement and gathering restrictions, using her own experience of Covid-19 as an example.
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Senator McDonald began feeling ill on March 13 and attended Townsville University Hospital that night where she tested positive for Covid-19.
Now clear of the virus, she said the anxiety of knowing she had tested positive was not as acute as the fear she had passed it on, particularly to those most at risk.
After her positive test, Queensland Health began the painstaking process of compiling a list of people she had close contact with and phoning them to advise them of what to do.
Luckily, no one she had met came down with the virus, but problems arose when Senator McDonald didn't have contact details for many of those people.
"This meant someone could have been moving around spreading the virus unknowingly because Queensland Health couldn't find them," she said.
"This app will ensure health authorities don't have to rely solely on the memory of an infected person or if that person has everyone's contact details. This will help identify people who might not even know they are carrying the virus - protecting them, their family and the community. The app will gather contact information of other app users you spend 15 minutes or more in close contact with. It's amazing technology and it will give health professionals a huge time advantage which will save lives.
"If we want to ease restrictions, we need to have a plan and this app goes a long way to achieving that."
Meanwhile the LNP is calling for the Palaszczuk Labor Government to re-think its new restriction on Queenslanders travelling more than 50kms from their home.
LNP Leader Deb Frecklington said 50km was an impractical limit in most of regional Queensland.
"Limiting travel to 50km might make sense in South-East Queensland, but it makes no sense in large parts of the state," Ms Frecklington said.
"We need a common-sense approach that takes in local expertise, not one that is designed just for Brisbane.
"A one-size-fits-all approach won't work in a big state like Queensland.
"We need to be listening to locals and looking at easing restrictions on a region by region basis.
"Most towns outside the south-east are more than 50kms apart so this change will be of no help to people in the regions.
"I am calling on the Labor Government to re-think this blanket rule and apply some common sense."
LNP Shadow Minister for North Queensland and Member for Burdekin Dale Last said the 50km limit had angered people in his electorate.
"This rule has been dreamt up by a Brisbane-focused Labor Government that doesn't have a clue about regional Queensland," Mr Last said.
"If you drive 50ks out of Clermont you're in the middle of nowhere.
"People have given up a lot to stop coronavirus and they deserve better."
LNP Member for Gregory Lachlan Millar said the rule was 'ridiculous' for rural Queensland.
"50kms might seem like long way to Jackie Trad in South Brisbane, but it's nothing out here," Mr Millar said.
"This is another example of Labor's Brisbane-centric, bureaucratic approach to everything.
"The Palaszczuk Labor Government has no idea how this is impacting rural areas."
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