Coronavirus Qld: Reunited family’s message to the Premier

Separated for months by a twist of fate, this mother and daughter are finally reunited – with a message for the Queensland Government.

A family reunited after three months of border barriers has called on the Queensland Government to “show some heart”.

Kym Smith yesterday picked up her 14-year-old daughter Sienna from Brisbane Airport in a tearful reunion months in the making.

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Ms Smith said it was a miracle to be able to see her daughter again, but urged the State Government to put politics aside and help families stuck on opposite sides of the border to unite.

“It’s ripping families apart,” she said.

“At the time it was good to shut the borders (to keep Queenslanders safe), but come on.

“Families are hurting.

“Families need to be together, what’s more important than that?

“Our hearts have been breaking, and all we want is for the Government to show some heart.”

Kym Smith is reunited with daughter Sienna at Brisbane Airport for the first time since March. Picture: Dan Peled/NCA NewsWire

Ms Smith’s daughter went to live with her father in Dubbo almost 12 months ago, with no inkling of the chaos that was about to divide the nation.

“We had no way of knowing what was going to happen,” said Ms Smith.

“There were direct flights and we went from that to not knowing when we were going to see each other again.

“There’s Skype and FaceTime in this day and age, but it’s not the same.

“There’s been a black hole in our lives, and I can only imagine what the families facing cancer diagnoses stuck on opposite sides of the border were going through.

“They (the Government) say this has all about keeping us safe, but it has actually been torture.

“There has to be a better way.”