More arrests at border as people try to cross on buses
Gold Coast police turned away another 47 people at the border on Tuesday. It comes as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk urged Queenslanders not to go into NSW, in the strongest sign yet the state’s border could again slam shut.
QLD Coronavirus News
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD Coronavirus News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Gold Coast police turned away another 47 people at the border on Tuesday, on the heels of a record 57 refused entry to Queensland on Monday.
The latest figures brought to more than 750 the number of people turned back at the Gold Coast checkpoints since the border reopened on July 10.
Coronavirus Qld: Premier advises against travel to NSW
Record numbers turned away from Qld as pandemic escalates in south
Two more people were arrested on Tuesday morning trying to cross the border on buses.
Both were wanted for alleged crimes and were taken away by police.
It came a day after another alleged illegal border-hopper was nabbed by police in sand dunes after a dramatic chase.
Gold Coast police chief superintendent Mark Wheeler said traffic was flowing reasonably at the border, with peak hour delays of 40 minutes on the M1 checkpoint at Tugun.
It comes after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk today said was surprised people were trying to illegally cross Queensland’s border.
“I think, you know, people should use their common sense and they just shouldn’t do it,” she said.
“The rules are there, the rules are tough and the rules are being enforced.”
She also said people in the Sunshine State should not be travelling to NSW at the moment.
“Now is not the time to leave Queensland,” she said.
“Now is the time to stay in Queensland. Stay safe.”
The warning comes just days after Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young urged Queenslanders to consider the risks of travelling to NSW as outbreaks could rapidly spread and “get out of control”.
As Queensland relished another day of zero cases, a further 384 were added to Victoria’s mammoth tally on Tuesday.
Fourteen cases were recorded in NSW, with six linked to the funeral gatherings cluster.
A further four were associated with Thai Rock Wetherill Park.
Scott Morrison cut his Queensland visit short on Tuesday, rushing back to Canberra after citing the “urgency” of Victoria’s aged-care crisis.
The Prime Minister was on Tuesday night huddled down in briefings with key health officials and ministers.
Mr Morrison said it was right that outbreak zones were “contained” from other parts of the country.
“If, for example, (an outbreak zone) were to occur in Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast, then clearly it would be the right thing to do to prevent movement out of those areas into any part of Australia, into any part of Queensland, let alone the rest of the country,” he said.
It came as a coronavirus scare rocked the Prime Minister’s office, with a staffer going into self-isolation after reportedly visiting the Apollo Restaurant in Sydney, which has been linked to the growing inner-city Potts Point cluster.
It is understood that the staffer has tested negative for coronavirus, but is required to isolate for 14 days.
Acting Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly cleared Mr Morrison to “continue with his plans” because the staff member has no COVID-19 symptoms, according to a spokeswoman.
Asked whether it would be safer to close the borders again, in light of people trying to sneak into Queensland, Ms Palaszczuk said that police and emergency services were manning the border. “NSW has a border in place with Victoria.
“We have said very clearly that we have a hard border closure with Victoria,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“We have three declared hotspots with NSW and if there are further outbreaks, we will not hesitate to take action.
“We are watching NSW incredibly closely.”
Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said: “If it’s not safe for Queenslanders to travel to and from NSW, Annastacia Palaszczuk must explain why people from NSW can still come to Queensland.”