Premier says she would rather lose election than open borders early

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says she would rather lose the state election next month than bow to pressure and reopen the state’s borders before her chief health officer advises it is safe.

Political rivals laid a fresh round of border criticism on Ms Palaszczuk on Monday as it was revealed Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young was placed under police guard following death threats.

State Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington accused the Premier of "making the borders into a political weapon".

Ms Palaszczuk said she was following the advice of Dr Young and would continue to do so even if it meant she was ousted from office when Queenslanders headed to the polls on October 31 to decide who would lead the state for the next four years.

"If it means I have to lose the election, I will risk all that if it means keeping Queenslanders safe," she said.

"I will always stand up for what I believe to be right in this state, I am putting myself out there, I am putting myself on the line.

"People stop me [in the street] and tell me they want us to keep going with what we are doing.

"I will stand on my record, I will hold my head up high and I will stare down those people who are trying to tear Queensland apart."

Ms Palaszczuk said Dr Young was "one of the most professional women I have ever met" and her advice had saved lives during the pandemic.

"I think it is not right that a public servant of her high standing - and she is regarded as one of the best in the nation - be attacked for giving her clear advice," she said.

Ms Frecklington said while "the Chief Health Officer is making the decisions and providing the advice to the Premier, at the end of the day, the buck stops with the Premier".

"What the Premier has been doing is hiding behind the Chief Health Officer," Ms Frecklington said.

"I support strong border measures and I certainly support strong border controls, but I have always said we need a bit of compassion, consistency and commonsense."

Ms Frecklington said next month's poll was " the most important election that has faced a generation".

Dr Young defended her impartiality on Monday morning, after a slew of criticism about her decision to deny 26-year-old Canberra nurse Sarah Caisip's plea to leave hotel quarantine to attend her father's funeral last week.

"Every single day I think through all of the decisions that need to be made, and unfortunately there's no rulebook for this pandemic," she said.

"The decisions that I make are based purely on the health outcomes that we need to see.

"They're the same decisions no matter who would be around [after the election]."

Dr Young said the attacks, most made online by people interstate, had " taken an enormous toll" on her.

"But then this [pandemic] has taken an enormous toll on nearly every single person in our community.

"Every single person in our community in Queensland has had to give up an awful lot. And we can't see a clear end to this," she said.

"The support has made me feel much, much safer in doing what I need to do," Dr Young said.

"Of course it's tough, but this is tough for an enormous number of people."