Federal finance minister Simon Birmingham is optimistic the federal government can strike a deal with their state counterparts over the development of a hotel quarantine facility.

Queensland authorities have proposed a facility at the Damascus Barracks in Pinkenba near Brisbane Airport that would contain 1000 rooms and be able to hold 1450 people.

Mr Birmingham said there has been constructive dialogue between the two parties.

“We offered to undertake, and did undertake, an assessment of Commonwealth owned land across the Brisbane area that met those requirements – proximity to airport and health service, and identified the barracks at Damascus as an appropriate site,” he told Bill McDonald on 4BC Drive.

“The department of finance is now working through the joint feasibility study … assuming it doesn’t turn up anything untoward it will then enable us to proceed to looking at contracting and building the facility.”

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