Thousands Want The Queensland Premier Banned From Going To Tokyo For Olympics

Thousands of Australians are campaigning for the Queensland Premier to be prevented from leaving the country to attend the Tokyo Olympics.

Annastacia Palaszczuk received the Pfizer vaccine (despite being 51 years old) because she was heading to Japan to oversee our athletes compete next month.

However, everyone is questioning why the state leader is being permitted to attend an international event when other citizens aren't allowed to leave the country or are struggling fly back.

'Stranded Australians' have started a petition that has racked up more than 27,000 signatures and are calling on Australian Border Force to cancel Ms Palaszczuk's travel visa.

The petition said: "Annastacia Palaszczuk has successfully advocated for a brutal and heartless halving of Australian quarantine spaces, making it even more difficult for Stranded Australians to return home.

"Annastacia Palaszczuk recently stated her intent to take a space up in Hotel Quarantine on her return from the Tokyo Olympics on Q+A.

"The people of Australia believe the Queensland Government should lead by example. We hereby petition for Annastacia Palaszczuk to be DENIED the right to leave Australia at this time until she increases Hotel Quarantine capacity to such an extent that she will not take up a space that could have gone to a Stranded Australian."

People who signed the campaign agree that it's unfair for a politician to go on what some are calling a holiday while our borders are closed.

One signatory wrote: "I can't go see my mum. She can't come and see her grand kids but Anastasia should be allowed to travel over to watch some Olympic Games, sightsee and be a tourist in Japan. Really?"

Another added: "Deny my human right to travel freely, yet the pollies do? Nah mate, this is un-Australian! Shame on them."

But the Premier insists the jaunt to Tokyo will be all work. She explained on the ABC that she hopes to 'help secure the 2032 Olympics for Brisbane, Queensland, Australia' while she's over there.

"This is a very important meeting and it is expected by the International Olympic Committee that a federal representative, the Premier and the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, attend to present, in front of the International Olympic Committee.

"It's important for the nation. This is the 2032 Olympics."

Ms Palaszczuk added that the deal is potentially worth around $14 billion and could create more than 100,000 jobs, so it's very much worth her time.

The National Cabinet agreed last week to slash the number of international arrivals by more than half to get on top of a recent outbreak of the coronavirus.

It's caused flights to skyrocket in price for people wanting to come home and many are frustrated Ms Palaszczuk will be allowed to return over someone else who might have been waiting weeks or months to come home.

Featured Image Credit: ABC

Topics: Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie