Coronavirus QLD: Tourism companies plan mass protest against border lockdown

Tourism operators from the Gold Coast to the Far North are planning a mass protest if the Premier doesn’t open the Queensland border to visitors by July.

DOZENS of tourism operators are planning to launch a protest against Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk if the state borders aren’t reopened by July.

Operators from the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Far North Queensland have made plans for a ‘car protest’ against the prolonged closure of the border to interstate visitors if the State government does not relax the restrictions by July 10.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk watches as Tourism Minister Kate Jones speaks on the Gold Coast. Picture: Glenn Hampson

That date was originally earmarked for a border reopening in the State Government’s roadmap to recovery before Ms Palaszczuk last week shocked tourism operators by admitting that the border could stay shut until September or beyond.

The Premier has pledged to review restrictions at the end of each month, with an announcement expected on Sunday about future measures on COVID-19 restrictions.

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Leading travel companies have foreshadowed ‘statewide protest in the state’s key tourism hubs urging the Premier to hear them’.

The protest could be staged as soon as next week if there is no change to the State Government’s position on borders and would involve ‘socially distant measures’ such as a car protest where vehicles are adorned with signs and placards calling for the borders to be reopened.