Josh Frydenberg warns states to lift border blocks immediately

All states have been told to open their borders immediately or risk losing even more jobs. But Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says she’s on the same page as the Prime Minister as to when they should reopen.

WHEN to lift limits on weddings, funerals and restaurants as well as putting an end to border closures choking the economy will be on the agenda when National Cabinet meets today.

But a Black Lives Matter protester testing positive for COVID has thrown a spanner in the works, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned last weekend’s rallies across the country could delay the easing of COVID-19 restrictions by at least a week.

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More pressure than ever will be put on Premiers to open their borders and get planes flying again. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

More pressure than ever will be put on Premiers to drop the state borders, as they are urged to abandon plans for travel bubbles and “go the full hog”.

Mr Morrison will apply the most pressure on the state Premiers today, reminding them they agreed to the July 10 time frame.

But there are fears that some state leaders, including Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, will be spooked by a protester who attended the Melbourne Black Lives Matter rally on the weekend testing positive for COVID-19.

Hours earlier, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael Kidd had warned that if there was someone with COVID-19 at the protest there would be “risk of significant transmission”.

Mr Morrison said his health advice was to delay further easing restrictions by “at least a week”.

“The rally last weekend is the only legitimate real blocker to this at the moment. We really don’t know whether these rallies may have caused outbreaks.” Mr Morrison said.

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He said his health advice was to delay lifting restrictions for at least a week.

“We know in other countries these kinds of rallies, there have been other outbreaks,” he said.

“They have put the whole track back to recovery at risk.”

But it is understood Mr Morrison will be standing firm on urging borders to reopen by July 10.

There has not been medical advice from the Chief Medical Officer that state borders should be closed at any stage, regardless of small outbreaks in some states.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said travel bubbles between certain states was not enough, but the borders needed to be opened up entirely.

“States should go the full hog,” he said.

“They should lift those borders immediately. Closed borders cost jobs. The public wants to get back to work.”

Ms Palaszczuk said she was on the same page as the Prime Minister on July.

“There is no descent on this, he has said July, I have said July. It’s in the road map its there very clearly,” she said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says a July border opening is on the Queensland restriction road map. Picture: Steve Pohlner

It is a softening from last month when she flagged borders would not open until September.

But she defended the comment, saying at the time there was a lot more community transmission within NSW and Victoria.

“New South Wales has done a great job of getting that under control but I’ll always put the health of Queenslanders first,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

But she admitted the impact of the rallies last weekend would be on the agenda as well.

“I think National Cabinet is going to be looking at those mass protests as well, we have to take that into account,” she said.

Also up for discussion will be easing restrictions beyond stage three, with a key focus on indoor gathering rules.

When and how to lift the 100-person limit for indoor gatherings will be discussed, which could see bigger or even unlimited weddings, funerals, restaurants patronage and more on the horizon.

How to fast-track infrastructure projects, including hold-ups with council approvals, will also be discussed as part of a job creating plan.

The operation of airlines when intrastate travel begins to increase was also on the agenda, but is now likely to be delayed for another meeting.