Premier insist her mind can’t be changed on border despite economic cost

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says she won’t reconsider the border issue until the end of June despite revelations that the government has no idea of the cost of the closures.

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk remains unmoved in her stance on the Queensland border closures, despite revelations that the state government has no indication of the cost to the economy.

The Bulletin today revealed that the Treasury has done no modelling on the financial cost of the closures – despite predictions from business leaders it could be costing the Gold Coast up to $4.3 billion.

Instead the Premier’s office said the borders were closed on health advice.

“Nothing is changing in the month of June, you can ask me every single day but my mind is not changing because we still have active cases in the southern states,” Ms Palaszczuk said today.

“At the end of June we will review that as I have said, but we will not compromise the health of Queenslanders at this time – full stop.”

The state had no new coronavirus cases overnight.

COMMENT: IS REFUSAL TO REOPEN MORE ABOUT THE VIRUS – OR PRIDE?

Police at the border checkpoint between Coolangatta and Tweed Heads. Picture: Nigel Hallett.

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Opposition leader Deb Frecklington said she was gobsmacked that the economic hit caused by the border closures had not even been calculated.

“All closed borders are doing is closing business and costing jobs,” Ms Frecklington said today during a press conference.

“Revelations that there has been no economic modelling around border closures shows that Labor is flying blind through Queensland’s biggest economic crisis.

“We know that 80 per cent of Queensland’s tourism dollars come from NSW and Victoria,

which is one of the reasons why the borders need to open

“We know there are people down south who have money to spend on real estate, on tourism and on the great products that Queensland has.”

LNP Leader Deb Frecklington at a media conference today on the Gold Coast talking about the border closures. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

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Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce boss Martin Hall told the Bulletin earlier that he was “gobsmacked” that no modelling had taken place.

“It is appalling that the Government is making decisions about the future of border restrictions without having any clue of the true economic impact that its decisions are having,” he said.