Why Scott Morrison won’t be attending the Tokyo Olympics in person

Scott Morrison WON’T be attending the Tokyo Olympics in person – after 30,000 people signed a petition calling on Annastacia Palaszczuk to be barred from Japan

  • Scott Morrison won’t be attending Tokyo Olympics in person for Brisbane bid
  • Prime Minister will address International Olympic Committee via video link
  • Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will be going to Japan in person 

Scott Morrison won’t be attending the Tokyo Olympics in person after more than 30,000 signed a petition calling on Annastacia Palaszczuk to be barred from Japan.

The Prime Minister’s office has confirmed he will be attending an International Olympic Committee meeting via video link to make the case for Brisbane to host the games in 2032.

Queensland‘s Labor Premier however will be there in person, sparking outrage with 30,000 people, including many stranded expats, signing a petition saying it was hypocritical of her to go overseas when she had campaigned to halve the number of Australians being allowed back in.

‘The people of Australia believe the Queensland government should lead by example,’ the petition said.

Scott Morrison won’t be attending the Tokyo Olympics in person after more than 30,000 signed a petition calling on Annastacia Palaszczuk to be barred from Japan

‘We hereby petition for Annastacia Palaszczuk to be DENIED the right to leave Australia at this time until she increases hotel quarantine capacity to such an extent that she will not take up a space that could have gone to a stranded Australian.’ 

The Prime Minister will be attending via video link to make an IOC presentation.

‘The Prime Minister continues to play an active role in bringing The Games here and will be helping that ongoing effort right up to the final vote by IOC members in Tokyo including by sending a Commonwealth Government representative to support Australia’s pitch,’ a spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.

Sports Minister Richard Colbeck will be attending, Daily Mail Australia understands, but this is yet to be confirmed.

Ms Palaszczuk will be going along with Brisbane’s Liberal National Party Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.

National Cabinet on Friday agreed to halve the weekly number of Australians arriving from overseas to 3,035 from 6,070, making returning home even harder for more than 34,000 Australians stranded overseas.

Upon her return from Japan, Ms Palaszczuk said she would quarantine in a hotel instead of opting for home quarantine, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison did at The Lodge in Canberra after last month travelling to the UK for the G7 summit of world leaders.

‘I have absolutely said that I will come and do the 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine in Brisbane,’ she told the ABC’s Q&A program last week.

‘I will not be doing home quarantine.’