QLD border closure: Shocking impact on businesses laid bare

Parliament has heard the stories of a litany of businesses smashed by the border closure, with some losing 80 per cent of their customers and others closing completely.

QUEENSLAND-NSW border businesses are losing up to 80 per cent of their customers because residents are confused and frightened about the closure rules, State Parliament has been told.

Opposition leader Deb Frecklington, in moving a motion on the Queensland border closure, said the Premier’s recent comments had sent shockwaves through the border community.

An empty Coolangatta beach on the Queensland-New South Wales border. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

PM’S BRUTAL SHOT AT PREMIER OVER BORDER CLOSURE

The motion, which was lost on party voting lines, condemned Annastacia Palaszczuk for “her mixed messages and thought bubbles on the reopening of the interstate border” which had closed business and cost jobs across Queensland.

“Quite seriously, we have flattened the curve. Now the Palaszczuk Government needs to stop flattening the economy. It is really quite simple,” Ms Frecklington said.

Businesses had certainty about a July reopening of the borders until the Premier appeared on morning television and indicated the barriers would remain “until September or even later”.

“The Premier’s mixed messages need to be condemned because they are hurting people. They are taking away livelihoods and they have the potential, if they have not already, to take lives,” Ms Frecklington said.

Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates was critical of Gaven Labor MP Meaghan Scanlon for not supporting the motion.

Currumbin MP Laura Gerber in her speech detailed how the border closure had impacted retailers like Strand Fresh Fruit and mum-and-dad operators of the management rights at accommodation towers like Ocean Plaza Resort in Coolangatta.

LNP Leader Deb Frecklington with Currumbin MP Laura Gerber in Coolangatta. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

PREMIER ACCUSED OF ‘ECONOMIC VANDALISM’

“Their bookings dropped by 80 per cent. Even with JobKeeper they were losing over $50,000 a month. That is just not sustainable,” she said.

One of the most impacted businesses was the Noodle Box franchise just metres from the NSW border, which had closed.

“Many of his customers will not even order his delicious noodles via Uber Eats because they are afraid it cannot get across the border,” Ms Gerber said.

A hairdressing business was forced to close and the owner was doubtful of about reopening because her clientele depends on repeat business. Clients had to find other hairdressers.

A restaurant owner who owns restaurants in both states had detailed to the MP how restrictive Queensland’s rules were compared to NSW.

Coolangatta is seeing fewer shoppers. Picture: AAP.

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Burleigh MP Michael Hart said the Commonwealth was not putting forward a case for the borders to be closed.

He tabled Virgin flight details which had shown a sudden drop off in planned services for July which only added to speculation about a delay in opening up the borders.

Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek said business needs certainty, consistency and clarity when jobs were on the line.

“As we have heard, the Premier said it could be 10 July and then, with something that was going through her mind, she said it could be September. When it comes to clarity, or the lack of it, from the Premier, yesterday we were told that community transmission had to be under control.

Police at a check point on the Queensland and New South Wales border on Griffith Street in Coolangatta. Picture: AAP.

“A couple of weeks ago the Premier said that she would not even consider opening the borders until there were two clear incubation periods of 14 days each, so that means at least 28 days from yesterday, going by what the Premier said a couple of weeks ago, before she would even consider opening the border. Given that was 16 June, that means that not until 17 July will it even be considered.”