Coronavirus NSW: Gladys Berejiklian’s border ‘pressure’ on QLD

The NSW and Queensland Premiers have traded barbs over whether they have spoken to each other about the state’s borders over text.

There were no new local cases of coronavirus recorded in NSW in the past day as Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed Annastacia Palaszczuk isn’t taking her calls on borders.

Just two people in hotel quarantine were diagnosed with the virus.

On Thursday morning Ms Berejiklian said her decision to open to Victorians came after recommendations from health experts.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian claims Ms Palaszczuk isn’t taking her calls. Picture: Brook Mitchell

Queensland is expected to make a decision on the NSW border on December 1. Picture: Patrick Woods

“I wouldn’t have made the decision if they hadn’t supported me in that. I’m very comfortable with the decision we have taken, but any decision like that comes with a risk,” she told the ABC.

“When you’re dealing with a pandemic and weigh up the economic factors and the health risk, you have to ride that steady balance. I think that’s what NSW has done.

“I hope my announcement yesterday put a bit of pressure on Queensland and WA to do the right thing”.

She added it would take “a lot” of COVID-19 cases in Victoria to force another border closure.

Ms Berejiklian also said that she had not spoken directly to Queensland Premier Anastasia Palaszczuk since a national cabinet meeting a number of weeks ago.

“I reached out to her on Sunday night. I congratulated her on her (state election) win and then asked to speak on borders. We have not had that discussion. But I hope so – there’s really no basis, no scientific basis not to open all of NSW to Queensland,” she said.

While appearing on the Today Show this morning the Premier revealed Ms Palaszczuk wasn’t answering her messages.

“Look, I’ve messaged her on Sunday and … We’ve not had that conversation yet which is disappointing,” Ms Berejiklian said.

The newly reinstated Queensland Premier hit back at Ms Berejiklian’s claims on Thursday, denying the border wasn’t mentioned in any text from her NSW counterpart.

A spokesman told News Corp’s NewsWire Ms Palaszczuk left her on read for three days before responding with just one word.

“Premier Palaszczuk replied following the outcome of last night’s Origin game with the word ‘Queenslander’,” a spokesman said.

But a source close to NSW Premier said the claim Ms Berejiklian did not mention borders in a Sunday text message was untrue.

VIC BORDER REOPENING WORTH $73M A WEEK

Reopening the southern border would provide a much-needed boost to the state’s bottom line, with NSW tipped to gain up to $73 million a week from Victorians when tourism re-emerges.

Before the pandemic, Victorians accounted for $3.8 billion, or 16 per cent, of the $23.7 billion spent each year by overnight visitors in NSW, according to figures from the state treasury.

This equates to a weekly loss of about $73 million when the border is closed.

The revenue gained from opening the border to Victoria is expected to increase slowly at first but it’s hoped the tourism spend will return to normal when all state borders are opened.

Premier Gladys Berejik­lian on Wednesday confirmed the border to Victoria will come down on November 23, claiming it would take “something very extraordinary” for her government to change its plans.

“Unless there is something very extraordinary which occurs between the date that Premier Andrews allows Melburnians to move throughout Victoria and the 23rd of November, I don’t foresee us changing that date,” Ms Berejiklian said.

The Premier indicated new cases could be expected once restrictions eased further in Victoria but said it was possible to manage a spike in cases if that did occur.

“I’m confident that other states will have that capacity (to get on top of an outbreak),” she said. “They’ve certainly had long enough to prepare for this.”

Ms Berejiklian said her ­decision to open the border to Victoria highlighted “the lack of logic” with the Western Australian and Queensland government’s border strategy.

Function co-ordinators (from left) Emma Rodger and Tiffany Brewster from Hideaway Kitchen & Bar Function on the Gold Coast are frustrated residents of Greater Sydney cannot visit. Picture: Nigel Hallett

The aviation sector has welcomed the border ann­ouncement which is set to ­increase demand for flights.

Virgin Australia has imm­ediately moved to increase services. From November 23, the airline will operate four daily return services between Sydney and Melbourne, ­increasing frequency ahead of Christmas holidays.

From the same date Qantas and Jetstar will operate more than 250 flights per week across five routes, offering travellers 48,000 seats ­between the two states.

This compares with just 10 return flights per week currently operating between Melbourne and Sydney.

Allowing Victorians to travel to NSW is set to ­increase revenue for tourist hot spots such as Byron Bay.

Over the border businesses on the Gold Coast, such as the Hideaway Kitchen and Bar, are also looking to the return of tourism dollars.

Part owner of the Mez Club Rob Doherty said business was already up 80 on this time last year.

“Normally in the summer we start getting busy around December early January but we’ve been flat out for the last two months it’s been fantastic,” he said.

Claudia Priestley, 24, travelled to Byron Bay from Sydney with friends this week after taking time off work.

“We’ve come to Byron to relax and get out of Sydney after what’s been a pretty dire year,” she said.