Media Release

KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has today raised fresh concerns over the Australian Government’s preparedness to deal with the Ebola crisis in light of a further case in the United States and the World Health Organisation stating the world has 60 days to get the disease under control.

In the United States a nurse who was wearing supposedly adequate protective covering and meeting reportedly tight protocols has contracted Ebola.

A second United States nurse has also been confirmed as having tested positive to Ebola and was then allowed to board a commercial airline within the United States.

“Even with the fairly stringent protocols that exist in the United States the fact that the disease has spread to a third party is alarming.

"It is also in sharp contrast to Australia where there are effectively no protocols in place do deal with the threat.”

Mr Katter said the Government’s current response “would not even meet the definition of a protocol”.

Mr Katter is calling on the Federal Government to immediately implement a 21 day mandatory isolated quarantine period for our health worker ‘saints’ returning from Ebola effected countries instead of the current ‘self-regulated’ home quarantine.

“The events of the last few days have not only vindicated, but also stridently reinforced, my demands that there be a three week isolation period for any person returning to Australia from an Ebola affected country, particularly where the person is working with an Ebola patient.”

The Cairns nurse who was originally suspected of Ebola continues to highlight the Government’s inaction on this deadly threat and lack of adequate protocol.

“She was admitted ‘as an Ebola suspect’ put into a public ward, no one coming into contact with her initially had any special clothing or protection and in many cases not even the knowledge that she was an Ebola suspect.”

Mr Katter is calling for the Senate Inquiry into the Queensland Government to be extended to include not only Queensland Health’s management of the Ebola crisis at the Cairns hospital but also the intimidation and fear that it has instilled in those speaking out against the department.

“The two doctors who first voiced their concerns about the Cairns Hospital’s management of the case have now been stood down,” Mr Katter said.

“To think that people, first in the Bundaberg hospital in the Patel Case and now in the Cairns hospital, are being punished for doing not only the right thing, but the legally right thing, is appalling.

“Inaction, a failure to speak out in this case, would be the grossest of negligence and the people that have the courage to protect their fellow Australians and call to account the slackest and most dangerous caviller procedures should be applauded and lauded. Not pilloried and punished.”

Mr Katter said, “the only noise we have heard from Canberra is we are not moving on protocols and the opposition’s call is that even more people go to the Ebola countries. Not the slightest whiff of protection for Australia.”

“I’m not out to save the planet,” Mr Katter said.

“I’m just a humble politician trying to protect Australia.”

Mr Katter is calling for mandatory government isolated quarantine, which to date the Government has ruled out.