NSW Health Minister pleads with Virgin to refund his Christmas morning flight to Queensland – as he is grilled about travelling from his home on the Northern Beaches
- New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard lives on the Northern Beaches
- Despite that, Liberal MP fronted press conference in the city on Friday morning
- The state government has told residents from that part of Sydney to stay home
The New South Wales Health Minister has awkwardly pleaded with Virgin to refund his Christmas morning flight to Queensland because he lives in a Covid hot spot.
Brad Hazzard, who represents the Sydney Northern Beaches electorate of Wakehurst, fronted a media conference in the city centre on Friday morning.
This was despite the state government issuing a directive on Thursday night for anyone between Manly and Palm Beach to work from home for three days.
Mr Hazzard’s safe Liberal electorate covers Dee Why on the Northern Beaches where locals have been told to isolate and get tested.
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The New South Wales Health Minister has awkwardly pleaded with Virgin to refund his Christmas morning flight to Queensland because he lives in a Covid hot spot. Brad Hazzard, who represents the Northern Beaches electorate of Wakehurst, fronted a media conference in Sydney’s city centre on Friday with Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant
With Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Friday hinting at banning visitors from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Mr Hazzard used the opportunity to appeal to Virgin Australia to refund his Christmas airfare.
‘I was heading up there on Queensland morning with my wife … Christmas morning sorry, I’m hoping I get a refund from Virgin if you’re listening,’ he said.
Asked about his living arrangements as a Northern Beaches resident, Mr Hazzard said he had taken a coronavirus test.
‘Obviously, I’ve had the Covid test and I’m at my home,’ he said.
‘We have critical workers and I think at the moment you’re probably … I’m not quite as important as people at the front line like our doctors and nurses but certainly at the present time it’s pretty crucial I’m involved in what we’re doing.’
Ms Palaszczuk on Friday hinted Queensland could ban Sydney Northern Beaches residents from entering her state.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Friday hinted at banning visitors from Sydney’s Northern Beaches
‘This is of concern, we are on high alert,’ she said.
‘It is a rapidly growing situation but at this stage we will continue to observe that hotspot regime.
‘If people are from the Northern Beaches, it would be well advised for them to stay on the Northern Beaches,’ she said.
The outbreak along Sydney’s coastal peninsula has grown to 28 active cases after extensive testing on Thursday identified 10 more cases.
The explosion in cases numbers has occurred less than three weeks after Queensland was reopened to residents from greater Sydney residents for the first time since August.
Mr Hazzard used the opportunity to appeal to Virgin Australia to refund his Christmas airfare