Wellcamp mothballed into care and maintenance in case its needed

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said updated advice from the Chief Health Officer meant Queensland would change its approach to quarantine management.

The State Government has accepted that advice and advised the Australian Government it will not require use of its facility nearing completion at Pinkenba.

Instead the Queensland Regional Accommodation Centre at Wellcamp on Toowoomba's outskirts, which has been operating since February will be placed in care and maintenance under similar arrangements to those at Howard Springs in the Northern Territory.

It will cease hosting guests from August 1, but will remain available should the pandemic response settings change.

The Centre also offers future non-quarantine uses to benefit the local region, including accommodation for visitors, construction and agricultural workers and students.

"Our Covid response made Queensland the jobs and lifestyle capital of Australia," Mr Miles said.

"During the pandemic Queensland outperformed the rest of the country on employment, domestic economic growth, workforce participation, retail growth and interstate migration.

"Having a dedicated quarantine facility provided the confidence we needed to open state and international borders, and it provided an insurance mechanism against an unknown future.

"The expert advice was that we needed it so Queensland could cope with future unknowns and provide the certainty we needed to open up the state.

"We followed the advice of the experts then and we're following it now.

"This situation is reflected around the country.

"The Commonwealth-funded facility in Perth hasn't even opened and they are looking for new uses."

Mr Miles said the Queensland Regional Accommodation Centre at Wellcamp has housed more than 700 people needing quarantine and isolation since it opened in February.

Mr Miles said the state would consider other uses for the remainder of the QRAC lease.

"I want to acknowledge everyone involved in the construction and operation of the facility," Mr Miles said.

"And I want to thank the Wagner family for their commitment to building this facility and getting it opened on time."

Mr Miles said the Wellcamp COVID-19 capital and leasing and running costs is $223.5m.

Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said the Wellcamp waste will forever be remembered as the price Queenslanders pay when this government prioritises politics over the genuine needs of Queenslanders.

"The Wellcamp waste happened while the State Government was still paying tens of millions of dollars for empty hotel rooms and with a Commonwealth owned facility coming online at Pinkenba," Mr Crisafulli said.

"We were promised a future proofing facility yet all we got was proof the State Government can't be trusted with your money to plan for our future."

This was a trigger happy decision to try and wedge the former Federal Government and this waste could've funded nearly 2500 nurses in the middle of a health crisis.

A good plan for quarantine was vital. This wasn't it.

Updated quarantine and isolation network strategy