Coronavirus: Tom Hanks avoids hotel quarantine in Queensland

Tom Hanks has avoided hotel quarantine after landing in Queensland to resume filming on Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic.

The actor landed in a private jet on Tuesday night but will not spend two weeks in mandatory quarantine.

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was questioned in parliament about whether Tom had been forced to complete quarantine in a hotel and did not deny that he had been granted an exemption and would be instead quarantining in a private residence.

“The industry plan for COVID in relation to the screen industry is a plan that has been approved, just like there is for the resources industry, just like there is for the agriculture industry,” she said.

“Under that plan, they have to stay in the place for two weeks, just like everybody else. They will have random checks, as is my understanding, by police.”

"I've had discussion with Mayor Tom Tate to find out how we can have more production on the Gold Coast because other countries are shut down because of COVID."

Ms Palaszczuk said the film will bring more than $100 million and 900 jobs to the Gold Coast economy.

The Queensland premier has also been slammed after allowing 400 AFL players and officials into the state last Tuesday from coronavirus-riddled Victoria.

Due to stricter border measures, Queensland residents returning from a declared COVID-19 hotspot or overseas are required to complete two weeks in hotel quarantine.

However, some people are clearly being granted exemptions.

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In July, Dannii Minogue was allowed to quarantine in a private Gold Coast residence for 14 days.

According to 7News, at the time Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said, "She has a COVID-safe plan which is being managed by an independent third party. That’s the reason that she got that exemption."

“There are a number of people who have come under that category I’ve given an exemption to because they have third party arrangements in place, that I’m confident they meet all the requirements that we have in place for hotel quarantine.

“I provide exemptions because I’m confident the process put in place will adequately protect the Queensland community if any of the people who are in quarantine were to be positive.”

Tom and his wife Rita Wilson both tested positive for coronavirus while filming the biopic in Queensland in March.

At the time, they underwent 14 days of self-isolation.

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