Border pass system goes live as QLD closes in on early Christmas reopening

The first arrivals have landed in Queensland just 11 minutes after the state’s new border pass system was activated. It comes as parts of another Aussie state were plunged into lockdown.

The first arrivals have landed in Queensland just 11 minutes after the state’s new border pass system was activated.

Virgin Australia Flight 337 from Melbourne was the first to touch down at Brisbane Airport.

Within 40 minutes some passengers had already received their pass for home quarantine.

The usual police guard around baggage claim seven was absent, with many travellers allowed to roam the lower level of the airport.

The first passengers at Brisbane Airport. Picture: Samantha Scott

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk earlier revealed the state’s border pass system had gone live, giving hope Queensland’s reopening now it had hit 80 per cent full vaccination could come sooner.

Ms Palaszczuk said the new border pass system would go live at 5pm Monday and travellers could apply immediately – if they met the home quarantine criteria.

Queensland recorded no new local Covid-19 cases overnight, while two cases were detected in hotel quarantine.

FULL DETAILS: HOME QUARANTINE RULES FOR QLD

She said travellers must arrive by air as a “protection measure” until vaccination rates reached 80 per cent.

Anyone wanting to apply for the Queensland Border Pass can do so here.

Ms Palaszczuk said Queensland could hit the 80 per cent fully vaccinated target a week earlier than the December 17 date set in the state’s Covid road map.

“It could come a week earlier, but I don’t want to get people’s hopes up,” she said.

A total of 81.99 per cent of Queenslanders have had their first dose while 70.25 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Ms Palaszczuk announced an easing of border restrictions that came into effect after Queensland hit the 70 per cent double dose vaccination target on Sunday.

With 70 per cent of the state now fully vaccinated, Queenslanders and interstate travellers will be permitted to fly into Queensland.

However, they must be fully vaccinated, have had a negative Covid test within 72 hours of arriving and home quarantine for two weeks.

Ms Palaszczuk said the no new local cases was good news for the Gold Coast as Schoolies started this week.

However, she said she remained concerned that the Gold Coast was “not ready” for the reopening of domestic borders.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk urged Gold Coasters to turn out to get vaccinated. Photo: Lyndon Mechielsen

On the Gold Coast 78.8 per cent received their first dose and 67.2 per cent had received their second.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said people would be able to go onto the border pass system at 5pm today and get their border pass issued immediately.

“Your border pass will be instant as long as you can meet the criteria of uploading your vaccination status, uploading your flight details and most importantly uploading your negative test,” she said.

Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said that people coming into Queensland needed to make sure they meet the requirements of entry to be able to complete home quarantine.

“If they don’t, they will not be issued a border pass.”

Mr Gollschewski said when arriving in airports in Queensland, people should expect police presence and should expect to be checked.

He also said that they will be subject to ongoing compliance checking throughout their 14 days of home quarantine.

Meanwhile, the Queensland Government has warned anyone travelling to Queensland from parts of the Northern Territory after 6pm tomorrow will need to arrive by air, provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result, and then go into quarantine for 14 days after Greater Katherine and Robinson River went into lockdown on Monday evening.

Anyone who doesn’t have a suitable home or anyone who doesn’t meet the eligibility for home quarantine will be required to complete the quarantine period in a government-arranged hotel.

Queensland Health strongly urges anyone who has arrived in Queensland from the Greater Katharine region between 6pm on Monday and 6pm on Tuesday to get a Covid as soon as practical and follow the same lockdown restrictions announced by the NT Government.