Queensland’s LNP Premier David Crissafulli and Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie say their government will not urge residents to take up the free influenza vaccine, saying residents should decide for themselves and speak to their doctor.
Bleijie made comments to media on Aug. 12, where he said the Liberal National Party (LNP) government had no intention of mandating what people did in their own homes, lives, or with their doctors.
“If people want to get the flu vaccination they are entitled to do that, I’m not going to dictate whether they should do it or not,” he told reporters.
Belijie’s comments come days after Crisafulli refused to declare whether or not he had taken the flu shot.
The deputy premier has also kept mum on his vaccination status.
Crisafulli also argued against claims the government was not promoting the flu vaccine enough.
“We restored the free flu vaccinations that weren’t funded ... we’ve spent more money on advertising the flu jabs than last year ... we started that roll-out a few weeks earlier and it’s going to go a little longer,” he told reporters.
“It’s a pretty reasonable indication of how serious we’re taking it.
“I’m asking Queenslanders to go to your GP and take his or her advice, that’s the best advice I can give.”
When further pressed by reporters, Crisafulli reiterated that people needed to have individual discussions with doctors.
“I’m telling you to go to your doctor, not to the ABC [public broadcaster], go to your doctor,” he said, a veiled reference to the prominence of ABC health reporters during the COVID-19 era.
Queensland’s current flu vaccine rate sits at under 28 percent, making it the lowest uptake across the states.
Low rates of uptake were also being reported by the former Miles government in 2024, with then-Premier Steven Miles attributing the low response to “vaccine fatigue.”
In its latest update, Queensland Health stated that an average of 227 hospital beds were being taken up by flu cases across the state every day.
“Flu is still circulating in the community and we’re continuing to see increasing numbers of hospitalisations,” Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr. Catherine McDougall said in a statement.
Queensland Health says since the start of the year, 4,685 Queenslanders have been hospitalised with flu, including 472 children under five years—with 85 percent of hospitalised patients not vaccinated.
At one stage during the state’s flu season, the number of flu cases in major hospitals triggered a temporary halt on elective surgeries.
McDougall said an important step in helping prevent the spread of flu was to practice good hygiene, such as frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home while unwell.
