Queensland Government Defends Funding Largely Unused $200 Million Quarantine Facility

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk speaks during a press conference in Brisbane, Australia, on Dec. 13, 2021. Dan Peled/Getty Images

The Queensland government is standing by its decision to build and maintain a multi-million dollar COVID-19 quarantine facility located around 145 kilometres west of the state’s biggest city, Brisbane, that has seen limited use since it was completed.

Just 700 people have been through the 1000-bed facility since it was opened in February, built at an estimated cost of $190 million (US$131 million), of which the state of Queensland is rumoured to have contributed A$48.8 million (US$33.66 million).