I really hope that this starts to result in a change in public opinion on the state border closures. Gold Coast Hospital has always been the main referral centre for northern NSW as far south as Grafton I believe. In the same way that people as far south and east as Batemans Bay and Bega in NSW end up in Canberra Hospital if they require complex care.
Without knowing the details, it is possible that a miscommunication or misconception that 'QLD is closed' led to the decision that QLD is not an option. Or maybe it was OK for the patient to go, but not her spouse (how do you console your wife who just lost a child from your 14 days of hotel quarantine?). Therefore rather than follow the normal procedure of an urgent transfer to Brisbane (the nearest tertiary centre), they may have had to 'call around' so to speak. I'd speculate there were sadly many holes in Swiss cheese and burecratic bungles which ultimately led to this devastating outcome.
There have been plenty of news stories about QLD in recent times including people missing cancer treatments, not being able to accompany disabled children for medical appointments at the childrens hospital etc.
I'm not political but the comments last week "QLD hospitals are for queenslanders" was just pathetic... I didn't realise the state governments were funding Medicare!!!!