Coronavirus: Gold Coast MP Ros Bates fires up about ‘botched’ rollout of Qld Government border restrictions

The government has been slammed for its “confusing” restrictions causing chaos on the Queensland-NSW border. But the Premier says it had to be done.

A GOLD Coast MP has attacked the Palaszczuk Government over “confusing” border restrictions and says the “botched” rollout sparked panic among border residents.

Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates was critical after the government moved away from plans to seal off the NSW-Queensland border with roadblocks.

Roads from Tweed Heads into Coolangatta were due to be closed or manned by police under the restrictions announced by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk earlier this week.

However, after they came into force at midnight, police checkpoints were only seen on the Pacific Motorway (M1) at Tugun and Gold Coast Highway at Bilinga.

Queensland Police enforcing the COVID-19 border restrictions. Picture: Scott Powick

Gold Coast Police Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said on Thursday plans were revisited “and we looked at the risk (of coronavirus)”.

He said police were focusing on “big volumes of traffic” and methods would alter as needed.

But Ms Bates said the government “botched the rollout of this since day one”.

The LNP MP pointed to the Premier’s initial announcement of restrictions over social media.

“Certainly we’re seeing chaos and confusion here at the border crossings. We’re seeing people panicked, not knowing whether they can get to work, get to school, get back across the border,” Ms Bates said.

“The fact that they’ve done a complete backflip today (Thursday) shows Annastacia Palaszczuk is not up to the job and that they’ve botched the rollout of this from day one.

Member for Mudgeeraba Ros Bates slammed the implementation of the border restrictions. Picture: AAP.

“I think if you’re going to implement something from the start you should have had a plan, you shouldn’t have tweeted it from (Queensland) Cabinet.”

Ms Bates said restrictions across the country were put in place more smoothly.

“We’re seeing confusion out in Nerang-Murwillumbah Road at Natural Bridge, where first of all we heard it was going to be closed with a concrete barrier, then it was going to be policed, now we know there’s just someone standing there with a set of traffic lights who really can’t stop anybody from going across the border,” she said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk during a press conference at Parliament House in Brisbane. Picture: AAP.

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Ms Palaszczuk did not respond directly, but addressed the situation.

“They’re (border towns) a community and we don’t want to have a huge impact on those local communities. But we are sending a very clear message that we don’t want people that are thinking about having a holiday coming into Queensland,” she said.

“This is a health protection measure. We’re not doing this lightly. We’re not sending police down to the border for no reason at all.”

Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said Queensland residents with a proper reason would be waved through checkpoints, but could face random checks.

Traffic backed up for kilometres on the Gold Coast Highway and M1 after the border restrictions began. Picture: Scott Powick.

Residents can apply for printable border passes online at www.qld.gov.au/border-pass.

Eligible applicants will be issued a pass electronically.

Motorists will be turned away at the border if they do not have a proper exemption or cannot show they can isolate in Queensland for 14 days.

Exemptions include travelling for work, medical appointments and delivering freight.