Queensland-NSW border bubble needs to get bigger

SEVERAL sectors are being severely impacted by Queensland’s hard border closure and we need to let the premiers know it’s hurting.

NCA NEWSWIRE. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian at the Wyong Hospital redevelopment site at Wyong on Tuesday, 11 August, 2020. Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Minister Health Brad Hazzard and Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast Adam Crouch will mark a major milestone in the $200 million Wyong Hospital redevelopment. (NCA NEWSWIRE / Troy Snook)

WE ALL need to get on the backs of the Queensland and NSW premiers and local federal and state politicians to create a bigger border bubble.

Because last Saturday morning's hard border closure is causing a lot of unnecessary heartache for a whole range of worthy people who have legitimate business crossing the state line.

From tradies to health workers, ambos, police and people attending vital medical appointments, there are plenty of reasons to make the border bubble bigger, give more exemptions out and relax the silly rule about quarantining for 14 days.

You only have to take a look at social media to see the Tweed-Gold Coast bubble is causing plenty of hurt in Queensland as much as NSW.

The bubble needs to extend further south in NSW to at least Ballina and north beyond the Gold Coast to Brisbane.

Sydney and the central coast may be COVID-19 hot spots, but the whole of the North Coast has just two active cases, both who contracted the virus in Sydney. There is no community transmission here.

People living on either side of the border are being adversely impacted by this and it's going to swing a wrecking ball through the Northern Rivers and South East Queensland economy.

Do we really want the housing and construction sector to contract any further?

Do we seriously want to deny frontline health and emergency service workers the opportunity to work during a pandemic? Aren't they kind of vital?

And denying sick people access to medical specialists and treatment in Brisbane without quarantining for 14 days is morally wrong. Insist on a clear COVID-19 test before they come for the appointment if necessary, but let them come.

The two premiers Gladys B and Anna P have been at loggerheads over the Queensland border closures from day one.

But it's time they got off their high horses, picked up the phone and had a talk.

Similarly, instead of sounding off on social media, why not send your rant straight to the premiers themselves.

Contact Anna P at [e-mail] or [phone] or Gladys B

https://www.nsw.gov.au/premier-of-nsw/contact-premier [phone] or [phone].

Or how about the state member Tweed MP Geoff Provest [e-mail] or Member for Richmond Justine Elliot [e-mail]