Premier won’t relax border closures while community transmission exists in NSW

Annastacia Palaszczuk has been torn to shreds by her southern counterpart over her refusal to open Queensland’s border with the pair trading barbs today and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian saying the move is ‘beyond reality’. VOTE IN THE POLL

The war of words over Queensland’s border shutdown has intensified with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian saying it is ‘beyond reality’ the Sunshine State’s borders could remain closed until September.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk this morning maintained a stern stance on the state’s border closures, saying interstate travel restrictions are likely to continue until September.

Queensland is set to review its border closures at the end of May, however, speaking to ABC radio this morning, Ms Palaszczuk said that relaxed border restrictions were still a while away and it would remain closed until the number of active cases in NSW decreases.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has held firm on the border shutdown. (AAP Image/Darren England)

“I have to get the advice of the chief health officer,” she told the ABC.

“I would say that things would look more positive towards September, having said that, I don’t want to rule anything out.”

Responding to Ms Berejiklian’s calls to reopen the border, she said “I know how much Gladys loves her holidays in Far North Queensland. I’m sorry, Gladys, you will have to wait a little bit longer.

Ms Berejiklian hit back at her press conference later this morning saying it was “beyond reality”.

“I think closing borders doesn’t help Australia, it doesn’t help any of the states and it doesn’t help our population (and) it doesn’t help economic activity,” she said.

She also noted it was a returned traveller who’d stayed at a Brisbane hotel for their 14-day quarantine period who brought a case of the virus into NSW last week.

“This notion that you’re going to eradicate the virus from Australia completely is a little beyond reality,” she said.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says eradicating coronavirus is ‘beyond reality’ (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)

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It follows NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian last weekend urging Queensland to open its borders and Queensland recording no new coronavirus cases yesterday.

However, Ms Palaszczuk told Sunrise this morning that Queensland wouldn’t take any chances.

“Whilst there’s community transmission in Sydney and Melbourne my chief health officer is going to be very reluctant to open those borders,” she said.

“We will be reviewing those border restrictions at the end of each month.”

“I will give you that advice at the end of May as quickly as possible.”

“Fingers crossed towards the end of the year we will be seeing southerners return to our glorious sunshine state.”

Originally published as Premier won’t relax border closures while community transmission exists in NSW