Jeff Horn v Tim Tszyu fight: Ring assemblers exempt from COVID restrictions
Ordinary people affected by border lockouts have reacted with disgust to revelations two Victorian workers have been granted special exemptions for tonight’s Horn-Tszyu fight in Townsville.
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Two Victorian workers have been granted special exemptions from strict COVID-19 border restrictions for tonight’s Horn-Tszyu fight in Townsville because they have skills erecting boxing rings.
Queensland Health has confirmed the pair were deemed freight and logistics workers ahead of the much-hyped fight so they could enter Queensland and avoid stringent 14-day quarantine rules.
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The exemption allowed the pair to fly to north Queensland from the COVID-19 hotspot of Victoria last week and travel between their hotel and the Townsville Stadium, where the fight will be held.
The decision has been condemned by the State Opposition after a NSW mother had to fight to enter Queensland to be with her hospitalised newborn and the department was shamed into allowing a two-year-old to isolate at home after open heart surgery in Sydney.
Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates said locals should have been found to assemble the boxing ring.
“It makes a mockery of the border closure when the Palaszczuk Government allows two people to come from Victoria and avoid hotel quarantine so they can assemble a boxing ring,” she said.
“Melbourne was on stage four lockdown when these assembly men travelled to Townsville, a region that has had very few COVID-19 cases.”
Horn, who starred at Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s 2017 election campaign launch and has repeatedly snared taxpayer funding for his events, will fight Tim Tszyu tonight after the bout was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
It is understood the exemption has angered local authorities with the pair allowed to leave unaccompanied from the Grand Chancellor Hotel in the northern city which has remained largely free of the virus.
Queensland’s strict border rules state only people performing essential activities will be allowed to enter the state, and freight and logistics workers must prove their physical presence is necessary.
“These people as much as possible must remain isolated from the general public and in their vehicle or accommodation until they depart Queensland,” the rules state.
Queensland Health insisted the exemption was within the rules and quarantine protocols still applied.
“These workers fall under the freight and logistics border rules,” the department said.
“All such workers are required to quarantine except while undertaking the approved activity. No exemption from hotel quarantine was granted.
“The exemptions issued require strict adherence to quarantine protocol when travelling between a hotel and a work site.
“The exemption does not extend to allowing these staff members to attend the bout.”
‘One rule for some, another for others’
Queensland residents feel “completely let down” knowing special COVID-19 border exemptions have been made, despite applications on the grounds of funerals and health reasons being denied.
Brisbane couple Grant and Gina had applied for a border exemption for health reasons.
The couple and their son – who wish to keep their surname private – travelled home from Sydney.
Gina, who is heavily pregnant, applied for an exemption on the grounds her obstetrician had concerns as she is deemed a high-risk pregnancy, but their exemption was declined and they were forced to fly to Brisbane and quarantine.
Upon hearing that two people were granted exemptions to come into Queensland without quarantine for a sporting event, the couple said it was “mind-boggling”.
“It doesn’t surprise me to hear there are things like that occurring, it’s one rule for some and a completely different rule for others,” Gina said.
“We feel really disheartened, really forgotten about in the system.”
Springfield Lakes couple Robert and Marie Carroll thought they had taken the right steps for an exemption when they drove to the Central Coast after being told Ms Carroll’s mother had only hours to live.
“We had read on the exemption form that special cases like funerals were acceptable,” Mr Carroll said.
After 10 days, the pair were told by Queensland Health that they could enter the state, but border police said they could only do so by plane and enter quarantine.
“We get in here and we hear about sports stars and movie stars getting special exemptions.”
West Australian man Mark Walker was unable to attend his mother’s funeral in August.
He has slammed the “political ridiculousness” of exemptions between states.