The Queensland government says it is in negotiations with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) over a quarantine "bubble" for hundreds of soldiers returning from Afghanistan.
The ADF wants the personnel to quarantine in a bubble-like arrangement, where they can move around the hotel and enjoy more freedoms.
Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath this morning dismissed a News Corp report saying Queensland Health had not communicated with the ADF over the request for up to 400 personnel to be able to enter the state.
She said discussions were held last Friday, with Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young giving her in-principle support, pending a final COVID Safe plan being submitted.
"The ADF sent an email back saying 'thank you so much' for our support and working with them."
Ms D'Ath said the management plan between Queensland Health and the ADF would be finalised tomorrow.
“These reports [of delays] are inaccurate,” she said.
“There's been no delay because it was the ADF themselves who said these personnel would be arriving on Friday and Saturday."
After her press conference, Ms D'Ath showed reporters her phone which included a phone call to "Peter Dutton" at 8:19am.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton denied he had been contacted by Ms D'Ath about the request.
"Yvette D'Ath's comment this morning that she called and or texted me is untrue," he said.
"I have not had any contact from her."
Ms D'Ath's office later confirmed the number she was calling for Mr Dutton was wrong by one digit.
A spokesman for Ms D’Ath said she has since spoken to the Defence Minister and explained the situation with the ADF quarantine bubble.
Defence personnel expected to arrive in coming days
Earlier Ms D'Ath told the ABC the ADF had asked for the soldiers to undergo 14 days in "alternate quarantine arrangements" and not the normal ADF hotel quarantine.
"So what they're wanting is a bubble arrangement so that the Defence personnel can be able to move around a bit more freely for their own wellbeing and looking after their return," she said.
"We are supportive of that, the Chief Health Officer has said she's agreed to a bubble arrangement and whenever these things occur we ask them to source a hotel."
Ms D'Ath said the ADF secured a hotel on the Gold Coast yesterday.
"They're due to submit their quarantine management plan for that hotel today," she said.
"Whenever there is a hotel outside of our normal quarantine hotels, there's a bit of work to be done.
"We will provide the health overlay and all indications are, that if the Chief Health Officer's all happy with that, we expect around 360 ADF personnel to arrive back either Friday or Saturday.
"The sooner we can get them back the better."
Ms D'Ath said the returning soldiers would not be counted as part of the cap on hotel quarantine.
"This is above the cap [of international arrivals], but of course we're going to support their return just as we have supported the whole humanitarian arrangements."
"We've taken 778 humanitarian arrivals to date."
The ADF has been contacted for comment.
