Skip to main content

'Her crocodile tears are too late': Australians hit out at Annastacia Palaszczuk's emotional press conference - accusing her of 'faking' her pain after refusing to let a nurse go to her dad's funeral

Australians have reacted with scepticism to Annastacia Palaszczuk becoming emotional on television in her first public appearance since refusing to let a 26-year-old nurse attend her father's funeral on Thursday.

The Queensland premier welled up as she refuted allegations she was 'cold-hearted and nasty' for keeping families apart with draconian border closures while letting Hollywood stars and AFL players into the state. 

Many Queenslanders were unconvinced by the premier's tears. Facebook user Charlie Sass called her a 'paid actress' and another named Nicole Smith said her 'crocodile tears' were too late. 

Chris Johnson added: 'I bet she didn't cry before there was a public backlash,' and George Bacic said: 'Right now I'm ashamed to be a Queenslander.'

Tearful: Annastacia Palaszczuk cried on national television this morning as she fronted the cameras for the first time since refusing to let a 26-year-old nurse attend her father's funeral

Tearful: Annastacia Palaszczuk cried on national television this morning as she fronted the cameras for the first time since refusing to let a 26-year-old nurse attend her father's funeral

Ms Palaszczuk was also roasted for refusing to take responsibility for the decision to stop a young nurse from coronavirus-free Canberra going to her dad's funeral.

The premier had said it was the chief health officer's call, adding 'I did not make this decision'.

Twitter user Benjamin Roberts wrote sarcastically: 'BREAKING: Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk does not run Queensland. An unelected bureaucrat does.' 

With tears in her eyes and her voice cracking, Ms Palaszczuk said on Friday: 'I'm human just like everyone else. 

'These issues hurt me deeply. They hurt me deeply because during this pandemic I have lost loved ones as well,' she said. 'I know exactly what people are going through, OK?'  

Emotional: Ms Palaszczuk had tears in her eyes as she left her media conference on Friday morning

Emotional: Ms Palaszczuk had tears in her eyes as she left her media conference on Friday morning

Sarah Caisip (in yellow) was allowed to have a private viewing of her father's body, dressed in PPE and with security guards minding her. She was not allowed to greet her family

Sarah Caisip (in yellow) was allowed to have a private viewing of her father's body, dressed in PPE and with security guards minding her. She was not allowed to greet her family

'These are difficult decisions and they're heartbreaking,' she said. 

Ms Palaszczuk did not reveal which 'loved ones' she has lost.  

The premier said Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young made the call to prevent nurse Sarah Caisip from farewelling her father with her family in Brisbane on Thursday.

Ms Caisip, who lives in coronavirus-free Canberra, applied for an exemption last month to visit her sick father Bernard Prendergast in Brisbane - but it took 20 days to get approved and he died of liver cancer two days before her flight. 

The young woman, who is in hotel quarantine in Brisbane, was banned from attending her father's funeral on Thursday because officials believe she is a Covid-19 risk even though the ACT has had no cases for 60 days. 

The prime minister had asked Ms Palaszczuk to make an exception but the premier refused and accused him of 'bullying and intimidating' her. 

'I said to the Prime Minister, I would refer it to the chief health officer and I did that,' Ms Palaszczuk said on Friday morning.

'It's her decision... you've got to take the clinical advice here. 

'We're dealing with a health pandemic. It is absolutely tragic. It is heartbreaking.'   

Up to 100 family and friends were allowed to attend the 2pm service in Mount Gravatt but instead of standing alongside them to farewell her father, Ms Caisip was only granted a private viewing of his body, surrounded by guards and forbidden from seeing her shattered mother and 11-year-old sister. 

The gut-wrenching scenes came after Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who lost his own father in January, choked back tears as he described the case as 'heartbreaking' in a radio interview.

Ms Caisip was granted a private viewing of her father's body, surrounded by security guards and without being allowed to see her mother and 11-year-old sister (both pictured)

Ms Caisip was granted a private viewing of her father's body, surrounded by security guards and without being allowed to see her mother and 11-year-old sister (both pictured)

Ms Caisip said Ms Palaszczuk was 'destroying my life' and that she would never forgive her.

State Opposition leader Deb Frecklington, who also campaigned to let Ms Caisip go to the funeral, said she was 'disgusted' by the decision.

Queensland's borders are closed to Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT. Premier Palaszczuk faces an election next month and the tough borders are believed to be popular with most Queenslanders. 

Premier Palaszczuk has come under fire for inconsistency on border rules after letting actors including Tom Hanks as well as hundreds of AFL players, WAGs and staff enter Queensland via special luxury quarantine while keeping ordinary families apart. 

Hanks, who caught the virus in Australia in March, is undergoing quarantine in a luxury Gold Coast hotel organised by the film industry after returning to Queensland from the US to continue filming Baz Lurhmann's Elvis Presley biopic. 

Mr Morrison has raised about 40 cases with state and territory leaders, asking them to grant travel exemptions on compassionate grounds.

Queensland's chief health officer Jeannette Young, who is in charge of granting exemptions, defended her decision and said on Thursday that she is 'very risk averse'.

'We know that funerals are very, very high risk for transmission of the virus. The last thing I would want to happen is to have an outbreak at a funeral,' she said.

Dr Young said Ms Caisip's application for an exemption took 20 days because there are thousands submitted every day. 

Sarah Caisip is pictured with her father Bernard Prendergast, 11-year-old sister Isobel Prendergast and mother Myrna Prendergast

Sarah Caisip is pictured with her father Bernard Prendergast, 11-year-old sister Isobel Prendergast and mother Myrna Prendergast

She said Canberra is declared a hotspot because 'it is in the middle of New South Wales, we know there are cases around them.'  

Dr Young on Thursday admitted the government's border policy was influenced by money.

'I have given exemptions for people in entertainment and film because that is bringing a lot of money into this state,' she said. 

Queensland has been rocked by dozens of heartbreaking cases of families being torn apart and lives being shattered by the border closure. 

One 60-year-woman was forced to quarantine in a hotel after brain surgery in Sydney and a mother lost her unborn twin after she was flown 700km to Sydney for surgery because an exemption allowing her into Queensland took too long.

The prime minister has been trying to persuade Ms Palaszczuk - and other premiers - to relax their tough border controls, but under Australia's federal system he cannot overrule state governments. 

Premier Palaszczuk cheered and wooped when Brisbane was granted the AFL final and she let hundreds of staff enter the state

Premier Palaszczuk cheered and wooped when Brisbane was granted the AFL final and she let hundreds of staff enter the state

 

Popular posts from this blog

Study Abroad USA, College of Charleston, Popular Courses, Alumni

Thinking for Study Abroad USA. School of Charleston, the wonderful grounds is situated in the actual middle of a verifiable city - Charleston. Get snatched up by the wonderful and customary engineering, beautiful pathways, or look at the advanced steel and glass building which houses the School of Business. The grounds additionally gives students simple admittance to a few major tech organizations like Amazon's CreateSpace, Google, TwitPic, and so on. The school offers students nearby as well as off-grounds convenience going from completely outfitted home lobbies to memorable homes. It is prepared to offer different types of assistance and facilities like clubs, associations, sporting exercises, support administrations, etc. To put it plainly, the school grounds is rising with energy and there will never be a dull second for students at the College of Charleston. Concentrate on Abroad USA is improving and remunerating for your future. The energetic grounds likewise houses various

Best MBA Online Colleges in the USA

“Opportunities never open, instead we create them for us”. Beginning with this amazing saying, let’s unbox today’s knowledge. Love Business and marketing? Want to make a high-paid career in business administration? Well, if yes, then mate, we have got you something amazing to do!   We all imagine an effortless future with a cozy house and a laptop. Well, well! You can make this happen. Today, with this guide, we will be exploring some of the top-notch online MBA universities and institutes in the USA. Let’s get started! Why learn Online MBA from the USA? Access to More Options This online era has given a second chance to children who want to reflect on their careers while managing their hectic schedules. In this, the internet has played a very crucial in rejuvenating schools, institutes, and colleges to give the best education to students across the globe. Graduating with Less Debt Regular classes from high reputed institutes often charge heavy tuition fees. However onl

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick.  Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o