Annastacia Palaszczuk pushes Albanese for national cabinet meeting as Covid cases surge in Australia

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has called for a national cabinet meeting to help deal with rising Covid-19 cases as Australia battles a third wave of the virus. 

In a press conference in Brisbane on Wednesday, Ms Palaszczuk urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to convene a national cabinet meeting ‘in the next couple of weeks’ for a pandemic update from the nation’s chief health officer. 

‘I think it’s going to get to the stage where in the next two or three weeks we may need a national cabinet meeting,’ Ms Palaszczuk said. 

‘I have already put out there to the prime minister that it would be good, I think, for national cabinet to get an update from the chief health officer if these cases continue to do this upward trend that we’re seeing.’ 

The rise in cases has caused community concern but Ms Palaszczuk said the ‘onus is on the individual’ and encouraged Queensland residents to wear a mask in crowded areas and get their Covid-19 vaccine booster shot. 

‘If you are sick, stay at home and do not go to work,’ Ms Palaszczuk said. 

Queensland recorded 7,517 new Covid-19 cases with 859 individuals hospitalised including 14 patients in ICU and 12 deaths on Wednesday. 

The state leader said the third wave of infections is ‘really testing our hospital system’ 

More to come.