Tweed Shire Council calls on Qld and NSW premiers to expand border zone
The mayor of Tweed Shire Council is calling on Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her NSW counterpart Gladys Berejiklian to expand the border bubble south to Ballina and north to Brisbane.
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The Tweed Mayor has called for the border bubble to be expanded south to Ballina and north to Brisbane and wants a ban on travellers from NSW COVID hot spots.
Tweed Shire Council said it had resolved to write to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her NSW counterpart Gladys Berejiklian seeking an easing of tough border controls.
Queensland closed the border to NSW and the ACT on August 8.
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A special ‘border zone’ was declared, allowing Tweed Shire and Gold Coast residents to cross the border for any purpose – but only within the two local government areas.
The hard closure has left residents on both sides of the border unable to get to work and medical appointments outside the bubble.
The council said it had resolved to write to Ms Palaszczuk and Ms Berejiklian calling for an easing of restrictions “in light of advice that the Queensland border may now be closed until Christmas due to COVID-19 and the significant health, social and economic impacts the closure is having on the Tweed community”.
“We understand the reason for the Queensland Premier’s border controls … however we have been inundated by residents and businesses getting in touch explaining how the restrictions are negatively impacting their lives and livelihoods,” Tweed Mayor Katie Milne said.
“We know Queensland will want to be confident of the integrity of an expanded border bubble so we are requesting that the NSW Premier considers imposing intrastate travel restrictions on the border zone and establishing a Northern Rivers bubble checkpoint.
“We are also asking for financial support from the NSW Government for businesses and residents who have been negatively impacted more than others in our state by the border closure.”