Covid-19: NSW and Queensland Police preparing for coronavirus protests on both sides of border on Saturday, September 18
Police on both sides of the Queensland-NSW border say they are ready to crack down on “unauthorised” Covid-19 protests at the weekend.
Gold Coast
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POLICE on both sides of the Queensland-New South Wales border say they are ready and willing to crack down on “unauthorised” weekend Covid-19 protests at Coolangatta, Byron Bay and Tweed Heads.
NSW Police has warned Tweed and Byron residents against taking part in “unauthorised protest activity” on Saturday.
“Officers from Tweed Byron Police District, with assistance from specialist units across the Northern Region, will undertake a high-visibility and high-mobility operation at both locations,” a statement read.
Gold Coast police are also gearing up to meet protesters head on, should the activities eventuate.
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A Queensland Police spokeswoman confirmed officers were also preparing for potential protests on the northern side of the border.
Several “freedom” protests have been held either side of the border and at Murwillumbah in recent weeks, resulting in arrests and charges.
One of the most high-profile arrests involved Hollywood stuntman Michael Corrigan following his alleged illegal involvement in protest activity on horseback.
The Murwillumbah man, 52, was charged with unlawfully participate in outdoor gathering/stay at home area and is still due to have his day in court.
NSW reveals 1284 new Covid cases, Qld records one case
Earlier: New South Wales has recorded 1284 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases and four deaths, while Queensland has announced just one new local case detected in home quarantine.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed the latest cases and deaths due to the “deadly and sinister” virus during a press conference on Friday morning.
Earlier, Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath announced the state’s single new case – a person linked to the St Thomas More College cluster.
It comes as Queensland readies for a Pfizer vaccination blitz this weekend, dubbed “Super Pfizer Weekend”.
It’s hoped the campaign will kickstart the state’s lagging vaccination rates, which Ms D’Ath linked, at least partially, to a lack of supply provided by the Commonwealth.
”We’re hoping more supply is going to come shortly,” she said.
On Thursday, Queensland recorded one new locally acquired case, also linked to the Sunnybank cluster.
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Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the coronavirus case was picked up in home quarantine.
Additionally, Queensland recorded two new overseas acquired cases, detected in hotel quarantine.
NSW recorded 1351 new Covid cases and 12 more deaths, while Lismore in the north of the state was excluded from the restricted border bubble after residents were ordered into lockdown for seven days following the discovery of a new virus case.
More to come.
Lismore out of border bubble as lockdown declared
September 16: Lismore has been excluded from the border bubble after the city was plunged into a seven-day lockdown.
Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said it meant anyone who has been in Lismore cannot enter Queensland.
“It is critically important that anyone who has been in the City of Lismore in the last 14 days does not enter Queensland,” Dr Young said.
“Those currently in Queensland who have been in the Lismore area in the last 14 days should come forward, get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.
“We know the situation can quickly escalate with this virus, which is why it is important we respond appropriately.”
Lismore’s lockdown, due to begin at 6pm on Thursday, was declared after a new case of Covid-19 was detected. Goonellabah Public School has closed as a result of the case.
The lockdown will last for seven days. However NSW Health Minister warned it could be extended.
The news came as it was announced that NSW had recorded 1351 new Covid cases and 12 deaths.
Meanwhile Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles has revealed the state has recorded one new locally acquired Covid-19 case, linked to the Sunnybank cluster.
Mr Miles said in a statement the coronavirus case was detected in home quarantine.
Additionally, Queensland has recorded two new overseas acquired cases, detected in hotel quarantine.
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Mr Miles said there was 32 cases active in the state and 2013 cases had been recorded in total since the pandemic began early last year.
On Wednesday, Queensland did not announce any new locally acquired Covid-19 cases, while New South Wales recorded 1259 local cases and a dozen deaths.
It was also revealed anti-vax staff at Gold Coast Health were told at a meeting they would be placed on leave indefinitely if they weren’t fully vaccinated against the virus by the end of October.
NSW records 1259 new local Covid cases, 12 deaths
September 16: NSW has recorded 1259 new local Covid-19 cases and a dozen deaths, while Queensland has not announced any new locally acquired cases on Wednesday.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed the 12 deaths and influx of new cases at a press conference late on Wednesday morning – alongside a vaccination milestone.
Late last week, Ms Berejiklian said she would not appear at NSW’s daily press conferences unless a particularly important announcement had to be made.
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NSW Health’s Dr Jeremy McAnulty faced the cameras instead on Tuesday, but Ms Berejiklian appeared on Wednesday due to an announcement about the state’s vaccination rate.
She said 80 per cent of eligible NSW residents had received one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 47.5 per cent of adults were fully vaccinated.
Earlier, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced in parliament her state had not recorded any new locally acquired cases.
Only one new overseas acquired case was recorded after it was detected in hotel quarantine.
It’s also been revealed that from this weekend Pfizer will be made available for Queensland residents aged 60 and over.
More than 57 per cent of eligible Queensland residents had received one vaccine dose, while almost 39 per cent were fully vaccinated.
On Tuesday, Queensland recorded one new locally acquired case linked to the Sunnybank cluster and detected in home quarantine, while NSW recorded 1127 local cases and two deaths.
Queensland Health also issued new contact tracing locations for Upper Mount Gravatt, Sunnybank and Sunnybank Hills on Tuesday afternoon.
More than 43 per cent of Australians have now been fully vaccinated.
NSW records 1127 local Covid cases, two deaths
September 14: NEW South Wales has recorded 1127 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases and two deaths, while Queensland has recorded just one new local case linked to the Sunnybank cluster.
NSW Health’s Dr Jeremy McAnulty announced the new cases – and more than 1250 hospitalisations – during a press conference on Tuesday morning.
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He said 104 people were in hospital on ventilators during the press conference.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian was noticeably absent after flagging last week that she would not be attending the announcements going forward.
Earlier, Queensland authorities said they were “not concerned” after a Brisbane teenager tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday.
The 15-year-old has been linked to the growing Sunnybank cluster, which saw 1000 families plunged into quarantine.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk again thanked families for “doing the right thing”.
“We’re not concerned about this at all because it’s linked to that cluster,” she said.
“A big thank you to all those families who are doing absolutely the right thing and staying at home. You are keeping Queensland safe.”
There is also one new hotel quarantine case.
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Ms Palaszczuk said there was 13,396 tests in the past 24 hours and that Queensland Health delivered 20,928 vaccine doses.
“So we now have 56.68 per cent who have got one dose of vaccine and 38.33 per cent fully vaccinated,” she said.
Ms Palaszczuk said children aged 12-15 were now eligible to receive Pfizer and 9000 doses had been administered.
“We have 15,127 children booked in. So if you’re a parent and you have child between that age group they’re now eligible for Pfizer and I urge you to go ahead and do this,” she said.
“It’s happening around the world,” she said.
I think the US has started 12-15-year-olds and I think it was announced today on the BBC they’re doing that in the UK as well.
“Let’s get as many people as we can fully vaccinated.”
Queensland’s chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said: “This is very good news, it looks like due to the fantastic contact tracing work that we’ve managed to get this outbreak under control so quickly.
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“But we know we could have another case come into Queensland at any time.”
She urged Queenslanders to get tested “with even the most minor of symptoms”.
brianna.morris-grant@news.com.au
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