Coronavirus NSW: Queensland opens border to Sydney

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has confirmed the sunshine state will reopen to greater Sydney on December 1.

Queensland has finally ended its hard border to NSW with residents from the greater Sydney area allowed to enter the sunshine state without quarantining from December 1.

There had still been restrictions in place for Sydney residents but after the state recorded 31 days without an unlinked case of COVID-19 the border was reopened to all of NSW.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young had been in conversation with her NSW counterpart Dr Kerry Chant in the lead up to the announcement on Tuesday morning.

“Dr (Jeannette) Young is now satisfied that they have reached the threshold of 28 days so can I say to New South Wales, we welcome you to Queensland from December 1,” she said.

“We know how tough this has been on families. This is a great day.”

Ms Palaszczuk signalled that there would be a similar easing of restrictions for Victorians if the state reached the 28-day threshold on Wednesday.

“I have been in contact with both the New South Wales Premier and the Victorian Premier … that if they reach that 28 days tomorrow, then they, too, will be open on December 1,” she said.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Josh Woning

Victoria’s last active COVID-19 case was released from the hospital, marking the first time in more than 300 days that the state has been virus-free.

Queensland recorded one new case in hotel quarantine on Tuesday.

Dr Young said Queenslanders need to remain vigilant with the influx of people expected.

“It was so unexpected when they got that case in South Australia and their hospital system is to be commended that they picked up that case so quickly,” she said.

“I have every confidence we would do the same here in Queensland. Any cough, sniffles, sore throat, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting any symptoms, anywhere please come forward and get tested.

There was only one new case of coronavirus in South Australia which is the close contact of a previous overseas arrival.

The woman in her 50s is in a stable condition at the hospital.

NSW again recorded no new cases of locally acquired COVID-19 in the last 24-hour testing period. There were six cases reported in hotel quarantine.

Health officials said on Tuesday they were concerned about recent low testing numbers and anyone with symptoms should get tested.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told Nine on Tuesday morning she would be “absolutely delighted” if her Queensland counterpart made the announcement early.

“I also hope we don’t have a situation where the border with Queensland opens and shuts at a whim because we are going to get a case in NSW,” she said.

“We have had an unbelievable streak in no community transmission and that will continue today.

“I will be absolutely thrilled if the Queensland border came down today … But I want some certainty that we won’t be given a benchmark that we can’t meet because we are in the middle of a pandemic.”

It comes as a restaurant has been fined $5000 for breaching COVID rules two nights in a row at Byron Bay, near the Queensland border.

Mexican mainstay Miss Margarita, on the beach end of Byron’s Jonson Street, copped the fine after police witnessed the venue breaking the NSW Government’s one person per four square metres rule inside.

The business owner has been issued a $5000 Penalty Infringement Notice for “Fail to comply with noticed direction in relation to Section 7/8/9 – COVID-19 – Corporation”.

Tweed/Byron Police District Commander Superintendent Dave Roptell said as thousands of school leavers arrived in Byron this week, venues need to be aware of their responsibilities in maintaining a COVID-Safe environment.

“There are Year 12 students coming to Byron Bay from all across Australia, including Victoria, Queensland and Greater Sydney,” he said.

“Our specialised licensing police will continue to conduct business inspections and compliance checks throughout the entire ‘Schoolies’ and ‘Summer Safe’ operations, to ensure venues have their COVID-Safety plans up-to-date and are doing their bit to protect the Northern NSW community.”

Originally published as Coronavirus NSW: Queensland opens border to Sydney