Coronavirus: Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate backs Qld Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s decision keep border locked down
Mayor Tom Tate has backed the decision to keep the border shut and called on the Federal Government to extend JobKeeper to prop up the Coast economy.
Gold Coast
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MAYOR Tom Tate has called for the Federal Government to extend its JobKeeper program until Christmas to prevent the Gold Coast’s economy from crashing.
Cr Tate led a round table discussion about the city’s economy with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Tourism Minister Kate Jones at the Evandale council chambers this morning.
Among the topics discussed were:
- Reopening of theme parks.
- The extension of the JobKeeper program
- The reopening of the NSW border
“The message was constructive so we could let her know about our concern and how we move forward regarding COVID-19,” Cr Tate said.
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“The message to business is the safer you make your businesses, the more successful it will be.
“As we move forward the border restrictions will remain the way it is as we get closer and look at the dates down the track I would say there is a message of hope.”
The mayor said he backed Ms Palaszczuk’s stance on keeping the borders closed “100 per cent”, warning of the impact of a second wave of the virus.
“In Brazil they can’t bury people quick enough,” he said.
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“(Keeping the borders closed) is a huge price to pay to make sure that we get down to COVID free state but we really do not have a choice.
“This pandemic could ignite again and I back the Premier.”
Cr Tate urged businesses to submit their COVID-19 safe plans which he said was an important step to allowing them to reopen.
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Ms Palaszczuk this morning said the government would review restrictions on patrons for bars, cafes and restaurants at a meeting on Sunday.
Follow this afternoon’s meeting, where city leaders were briefed on the plans, Cr Tate said he felt “heartened”.
“(The Premier) gave me a briefing on that and I am heartened, I think it will be a positive,” he said.
Originally published as Coronavirus: Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate backs Qld Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s decision keep border locked down
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