One big thing that won’t change when border reopens
As the Queensland border opens to most interstate residents from July 10, one catch remains for travellers wanting to head into the state.
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NSW residents will be able to enter Queensland from July 10 ‒ but there is a catch.
Interstate visitors from NSW, SA, ACT, Tasmania and NT will be able to cross the border into the Sunshine State only after signing a border declaration form to declare that they had not recently visited Victoria.
Anyone who has travelled from Victoria, including Queenslanders, will be banned from entering or forced to quarantine at a hotel at their own expense.
A spokesman from the Queensland Premier's office said existing border checkpoints would remain until the Victorian situation was solved.
This means the 40-plus minute wait to pass through a border checkpoint will continue.
A border declaration is required to pass through and a false declaration comes with $4000 fine.
The declaration will be available to fill out online.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Tuesday also said Queensland would move to Stage 3 restrictions from Friday, July 3 - one week early.
Tweed's community leaders welcomed the announcement.
Tweed Chamber of Commerce president and councillor Warren Polglase said it was a "small glimmer of hope down a long tunnel".
"For business owners, a definite date gives you certainty - especially in the hospitality industry, you can now plan to bring on more staff etc but the restaurant restrictions will still slow the tourist industry down," he said.
"I think people will still get cranky about the wait at the border but it's a drip feed to recovery."
Kingscliff Chamber of Commerce president and fellow councillor James Owen said it was a welcome relief.
"We welcomes anything that supports businesses to operate and try to get back to normal and attract the thousands of Queenslanders who come down here," he said.
"They represent 60 per cent of our domestic tourism market so we welcome them with open arms.
"They might have to take the extra 40 minutes at the border but we will make it well worth their while. We are excited to see them."
Richmond MP Justine Elliot said she believed the Queensland Premier had made the right decision about restricting travellers from Victoria.
Ms Elliot said NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian should do the same and shut NSW's border to Victoria.
Tweed MP Geoff Provest slammed Ms Palaszczuk, saying there were no details about "how it will work or how it will impact the people of the Tweed".
Business NSW Northern Rivers regional manager, Jane Laverty, in partnership with the State Government has renewed calls for a Queensland Cross Border Commissioner following today's border announcement.
A Cross Border Committee meeting is scheduled for tomorrow with the NSW Cross Border Commissioner James McTavish.
"In partnership with the State Government we will be renewing our call to the Queensland Premier to put a Queensland Cross Border Commissioner in place so that Mr McTavish has someone to talk to about economic collaboration on the border," she said.
She also urged the NSW Premier to follow Annastacia Palaszczuk footsteps and reduce COVID-19 restrictions from the 4sqm rule to a 2spm rule for premises under 100sqm.
Originally published as One big thing that won’t change when border reopens