Border blockade: LNP leader Deb Frecklington, Currumbin MP Laura Gerber fuming over checkpoint changes

The new system, which aims to block Victorians, has led to long delay at border checkpoints – but Police Minister Mark Ryan says the “tough” measures are necessary.

THE intensified border blockade causing “chaos and confusion” on the southern Gold Coast is holding up ambulances and frontline medical staff, the LNP claims.

Parents are also struggling to ferry children to school, Opposition leader Deb Frecklington and Currumbin MP Laura Gerber said at Currumbin today.

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However, Police Minister Mark Ryan has defended the “tough” measures as necessary to protect Queenslanders.

The new system, which aims to block Victorians from entering Queensland, has led to delays of up to two hours at border checkpoints.

LNP Leader Deb Frecklington speaking at Currumbin today. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

A pregnant woman even chose to walk to across the border to see her doctor, instead of sitting in the traffic jam, the Bulletin reported today.

Ms Gerber said: “I’ve had mums that can’t get their kids to school because of the border traffic.”

“I’ve got an ambo that couldn’t get his patient to hospital. I’ve got a frontline nurse that couldn’t get to the hospital for two hours in the traffic,” she said.

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“The problem is the implementation. (Premier) Annastacia Palaszczuk needs to implement her border declarations in a way that doesn’t disadvantage a community.

“That’s the kind of thing that happens when you make decisions on the fly and don’t think about it.”

Ms Gerber and the LNP supported the decision to keep Victorians out of the state, but believe the new system could have been introduced more smoothly.

Currumbin MP Laura Gerber said her constituents have been disadvantaged by the new changes to border checkpoints. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

The border reopens to every state but Victoria next week and Ms Frecklington said that would again throw the system into disarray.

“The scenes that we have been seeing on the border, because the premier chose to change the permit system with no notice, is really distressing. But no more distressing than the pregnant lady who chose to walk across the border rather than wait in line, and I can’t blame her,” she said.

“It’s obvious the Premier must do better. The Premier must end the border chaos and confusion around the borders.

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“What Queenslanders deserve is certainty and clarity around what they’ve got to do for the permit system on the border.”

Ms Frecklington said southern Coast communities “suffered the most”.

Police Minister Mark Ryan said today: “To stop this virus coming to Queensland we have already taken tough action and we will continue to take tough action.”

Police Minister Mark Ryan says the changes at border checkpoints are in place to protect Queenslanders. Picture: Matt Taylor

“And that tough action includes having robust border controls,” he said.

“Yes, that might mean some inconvenience and yes, when you’re crossing the border you might think that you’re okay, but what about the people in the car in front of you and what about the people in the car behind you?”

Anyone entering Queensland must now sign a border declaration. People who has been in Victoria in the last 14 days must undergo mandatory hotel quarantine at their expense.